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Senator Irwin urges passage of bill to preserve foster youths’ income
Summary
Senator Irwin described Senate Bill 18 as correcting a long-standing practice that diverted certain foster youths’ income to the state budget; she urged colleagues to let foster youth keep their income for current or future needs. The bill passed on final passage.
Senator Irwin spoke in support of Senate Bill 18, calling the measure a correction to what she described as a longstanding wrong in Michigan's foster-care system.
"Today in Michigan, if you're a foster kid, if you're a kid in foster care and you have some sort of income, perhaps from social security due to a deceased parent, that income is taken by the state, brought into the state budget, and used for the foster care system. I think that's wrong. I think that the income of these foster care kids is their income, and it should be reserved for their needs," Irwin told colleagues on the floor.
Why it matters: Irwin said reserving income for foster youth can give them savings and supports when they age out of care and face transitions in housing, education and employment. On the floor she framed the bill as aiming to give foster youth a financial footing when leaving state care.
What the record shows: The Secretary announced the final tally for SB 18 as 36 Aye, 0 No, and 1 Excused; the bill passed. Irwin asked that her remarks be printed in the journal.
Discussion vs. decision: The floor remarks were sponsor advocacy in support of final passage; no amendments were pending when the bill moved to roll-call vote.
