Senate committee backs concurrent resolution supporting receipt of potential federal adoption funds

The Idaho Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted to introduce and send RS 32271 to print, a concurrent resolution stating the legislature’s support for receiving federal funds for adoption education, adoption awareness, and improving birth-mother support and care should such federal funds become available.

Senator Julie Van Orden (sponsor) told the committee the resolution is intended to position Idaho to receive federal funds if federal language is changed so the dollars can be used for adoption-related services. She said the resolution was prompted during drafting of adoption-focused bills and discussions with the Department of Health and Welfare about past federal grants that the state could not accept because the grant conditions conflicted with state law.

Terry Markcroft, founder and executive director of the nonprofit Unplanned Good, testified in support of the resolution and described the organization's work: “We advocate for adoption for women facing unplanned pregnancy,” she told the committee. Markcroft said the group is working nationally to expand adoption education and birth-mother services that could be funded by federal grants.

Committee members asked whether accepting federal funds could bring “strings attached.” Senator Zanderfeld said, “I have a little bit of a concern when every time that we take federal money, there always seems to be strings attached or unintended consequences.” Markcroft replied that the advocacy effort would seek grant language aligned with the resolution’s stated goals so that the funds could be used for the intended adoption-education and birth-mother-support activities.

Senator Wintrow said she supports care for birth mothers but expressed concerns about missing grant language and balance with prevention and family-planning services: “I want to support prevention for unintended or unplanned pregnancies as well. I think it's a balance,” she said, and announced she intended to vote no on the motion to send the resolution to print while she reviewed the grant language.

The committee voted to send RS 32271 to print by voice vote; Senator Wintrow said she would record a no vote. The chair reported the motion passed by voice vote.

Ending: The resolution will be printed and follow the Legislature’s normal concurrent resolution workflow; the sponsor and witnesses said they will continue outreach to federal agencies to seek grant language that matches Idaho’s stated priorities.