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Committee advances discussion on expanding grandparent power of attorney to other kinship caregivers
Summary
The Senate Judiciary Committee heard proponent testimony on Senate Bill 58 to allow kinship caregivers beyond grandparents to use power-of-attorney and caregiver authorization affidavits to enroll children in school and consent to medical care.
The Senate Judiciary Committee heard proponent testimony on Senate Bill 58, a measure to expand Ohio’s grandparent power of attorney and caregiver authorization affidavit so other kinship caregivers—siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and close family friends acting as caregivers—can use the documents to enroll children in school and consent to medical care.
Larry Bresler, representing Northern Ohioans for Budget Legislation Equality (NOBLE), described kinship care as a preferable alternative to foster care in many cases and said the bill would reduce trauma for children and administrative burden on public systems. “Expanding the power of attorney to all caregivers, particularly relatives would add no additional financial burden to the state of Ohio,” Bresler said, and argued it could save state and county dollars by reducing formal foster placements.
Tim Johnson of the Ohio Poverty Law Center echoed those points and said Ohio uniquely restricts the power-of-attorney option to grandparents, excluding aunts, uncles and others who frequently serve as primary caregivers. Mary Wachtel of the Public Children’s Services Association of Ohio said the change would particularly help the many informal kinship caregivers—people not involved with child-welfare agencies—by enabling school enrollment, educational advocacy and access to health care without costly court proceedings.
Latress “Yaya” Lumpkin, a kinship caregiver and member of the Ohio Grandparent Kinship Coalition, described the practical barriers families face and testified that the documents are notarized, filed with county juvenile courts and have not historically shown patterns of abuse. Witnesses cited census and PCSA figures showing hundreds of thousands of Ohio children live with relatives and emphasized that kinship arrangements rose with the opioid crisis and the COVID‑19 pandemic.
Committee members did not take a vote; the chair recorded the hearing as the bill’s second hearing. Proponents urged the committee to move the bill forward so that caregivers who do not have the money or time to pursue custody through the courts can care for children without administrative obstacles.
