Committee narrows bill to protect children’s survivor benefits; sends measure to appropriations

The House Health and Human Services Committee adopted a strike‑below amendment and recommended House Bill 25‑1271 to the Appropriations Committee with a favorable recommendation.

Sponsors framed the bill as a remedy to a practice in which counties sometimes use federal survivor benefits and related payments — benefits the child is entitled to — to offset foster‑care costs. Representative Gilchrist described a case in which twin children’s survivor benefits were used for their care; sponsors said children who enter foster care should be able to receive and conserve federal benefits that are theirs by statute or regulation, rather than have those funds diverted to pay the cost of foster care.

The committee approved a negotiated strike‑below amendment that narrows the bill’s immediate scope to Social Security survivor benefits (Title II). Sponsors and Department of Human Services staff said the Title II…