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RS31987 moves foster-care licensing rules into statute and replaces some firearm requirements with education
Summary
Sen. Brandon Shippey asked the committee to print RS31987, which moves certain foster-care licensing provisions into statute and replaces a specific firearm-storage requirement with an educational video in licensing orientation.
Senator Brandon Shippey told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee that RS31987 would remove specific sections from the Idaho Administrative Procedures Act and place necessary components into statute as part of a Child Care Licensing Reform Act update.
Shippey said the change returns some regulatory authority to the legislature and addresses a licensing burden that had discouraged prospective foster parents. "Foster parents have a burden placed on them currently to lock up their guns and ammunition in separate locations, which I believe puts them in a vulnerable, position unable to adequately defend their home against immediate threats," Shippey said, describing the requirement as a factor that dissuaded some people from pursuing licensing.
Shippey said he worked with the Department of Health and Welfare and other stakeholders to craft an alternative that preserves child safety without imposing a specific lock-and-store mandate. Under the approach described in committee, the department will produce an educational video on gun safety to include in the licensing orientation; sponsors said they expect that education to be a better safeguard than prescriptive storage rules.
Senator Melissa Wintrow asked how the bill would reduce accessibility of firearms to children without imposing what she described as potentially intrusive restrictions, for example by someone keeping a gun under a pillow or in an easily accessible drawer. Shippey responded that mandating specific storage techniques is difficult to regulate and that education addressing different scenarios and ages of children is likely to be more effective.
Shippey said the change also may aid recruitment of foster families. He noted there is no anticipated physical fiscal impact of the legislation and that department staff supported moving the licensing elements into statute.
Senator Blaylock moved to send RS31987 to print; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The transcript records no committee opposition to the motion.
Next steps: RS31987 will be printed for introduction and scheduled for a committee hearing where the department and stakeholders can present details and implementation plans.
