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House Families and Veterans Committee adopts rules and regular schedule as members outline priorities for children, veterans and seniors
Summary
The newly constituted House Families and Veterans Committee unanimously adopted an additional committee rule and set Tuesdays at noon in Room 307 as its regular meeting time. Committee members used the organizational meeting to outline priorities including child welfare, foster care, veterans services, mental health, guardianship and childcare.
The House Families and Veterans Committee adopted an additional committee rule and set Tuesdays at noon in Room 307 of the House Office Building as its regular meeting time during an organizational session where members outlined policy priorities for children, veterans and seniors.
The committee adopted the supplemental rule on a roll-call vote after the clerk read a speaker’s appointment letter that named committee members. Representative Wozniak moved to adopt the proposed rule; the clerk recorded 11 yeas, 0 nays and 0 passes and the motion prevailed. Representative Fox then moved to adopt Tuesdays at noon in Room 307 as the committee’s normal meeting day, time and place; the clerk again recorded 11 yeas, 0 nays and 0 passes and the motion prevailed.
The organizational meeting served primarily to confirm membership and procedure and to give each member an opportunity to state priorities for the session. Representative Wozniak said, “what we ought to concern ourself with are the children and the families,” and urged attention to programs for veterans as well. Representative Thompson described experience with older adults and long-term care and urged examination of services for veterans, foster care oversight and partnerships with local groups such as area agencies on aging. Representative Jason Wolford emphasized connecting veterans to benefits and services, saying “we have a problem, with connecting our veterans, to their services,” and mentioned work with VetLife on an app to help improve access.
Other members raised overlapping concerns. Representative Thompson and Representative Carrie Rheingans (spoke as Rep. Rheingans/Reingans in roll calls) highlighted child welfare, foster care, kinship care and adoption services. Representative Erin Burns, a former special-education teacher, said she would focus on policies inclusive of families with children who have special needs. Representative Mai Song noted veterans and children as priorities and referenced work with veterans’ groups and disability organizations. Representative Joe Pavlo said he has formed a veterans advisory board in his district and called attention to gaps in services compared with other states.
Committee chair Representative Schmaltz opened and closed the meeting; the clerk recorded 11 members present constituting a quorum and said there were no absent members. The clerk read the speaker’s appointment letter at the start of the session, and the meeting concluded after the two adopted motions and members’ opening remarks.
Votes at a glance: - Motion to adopt proposed additional committee rule (mover: Representative Wozniak). Vote: 11 yes, 0 no, 0 pass. Outcome: approved. - Motion to adopt Tuesdays at noon in Room 307, House Office Building, as regular meeting date/time/location (mover: Representative Fox). Vote: 11 yes, 0 no, 0 pass. Outcome: approved.
The committee did not take policy votes on bills during this meeting; members said they expect to bring forward priorities this term on child welfare, foster care and adoption services, veterans’ access to benefits and mental-health supports, guardianship and kinship care, and childcare policy. The committee adjourned after confirming rules, schedule and membership.
