House Families and Veterans Committee adopts rules, sets regular meeting time and outlines priorities for children and veterans

The House Families and Veterans Committee opened for an organizational meeting and unanimously adopted an additional committee rule and a regular meeting schedule, members said.

The committee adopted the extra committee rule on a roll-call vote that produced 11 yeas, 0 nays and 0 passes, the clerk recorded. Representative Wozniak moved to adopt the proposed rule. Representative Fox later moved to adopt Tuesdays at noon in Room 307 of the House Office Building as the committee’s normal meeting time; that motion also passed 11-0.

Committee members used opening remarks to sketch policy priorities for the coming legislative session, emphasizing children, families and veterans. Representative Wozniak, identified in the committee appointment letter as the vice chair, said, “what we ought to concern ourself with are the children and the families,” and added that veterans also need “more support than they’re getting in our state.”

Representative Thompson, who described experience on aging commissions and work with older adults and veterans, said the committee should consider programs involving medical care, transportation and meal services for seniors and veterans. Representative Wolford, a Marine Corps veteran, urged improving connections between veterans and federal and state benefits and noted ongoing work with a private group developing an app, VetLife, intended to link veterans to services.

Several members highlighted child-welfare issues. Representative Carrie Rangers described child welfare, foster care, kinship care and adoption services as “top of the list.” Representative Johnson (first referenced during roll call) and Representative Burns, a former special-education teacher, emphasized supports for families with children who have special needs and for caregivers. Representative Thompson and others raised guardianship and conservatorship topics and interest in legislation on next-of-kin and end-of-life planning.

Members also named veteran-specific concerns: access to timely health care, mental-health supports, homelessness among veterans and workforce shortages in health professions. Representative Wolford recounted examples of veterans’ post-deployment struggles and recovery to underscore barriers that members said they want the committee to address.

Tim Poxton, who identified himself as an Air Force veteran and member of the American Legion, offered the organization’s assistance to lawmakers, saying “I’m here to help in any legislative issues that deal with veterans. You have my card.”

The committee concluded with the clerk stating there were no absent members and adjourning. Members said they plan to hear from veterans groups and other stakeholders as they develop policy and bills during the session.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to adopt an additional committee rule (mover: Representative Wozniak). Vote: 11 yeas, 0 nays, 0 passes. Outcome: approved. - Motion to adopt regular meeting time and place (Tuesdays at noon, Room 307, House Office Building) (mover: Representative Fox). Vote: 11 yeas, 0 nays, 0 passes. Outcome: approved.

The meeting record shows the committee is positioning child welfare, guardianship and veterans’ access to health and benefits as early priorities; members cited proposals ranging from legislative changes to technology-assisted outreach to veterans.