Committee approves multiple temporary Children and Family Services rules, including contested‑case changes and elimination of adoption fees

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved a series of temporary and ZBR (zero-based review) rule dockets from the Department of Health and Welfare affecting Children and Family Services.

Jared Larson, legislative and regulatory affairs chief, described several changes. One docket expands the definition of "crisis level of need" to give the department discretion when insufficient foster homes are available, for example for large sibling groups; the change allows differential compensation in extreme shortage situations. Larson said contested‑case rule changes for the Child Protection Central Registry were adopted at the suggestion of the Attorney General's Office to respond to ongoing litigation and to place the state in a posture to defend the lawsuit.

The committee approved a temporary rule that eliminates fees associated with the adoption process for children who are in state custody. Larson said the change was enacted by Director Adams on his first day and updates kinship definitions while removing the financial burden on families adopting from state custody.

A separate temporary docket tightens supervised visitation rules for parents substantiated at a level 1 or level 2 for abuse: the rules require direct supervision during visits, prohibit a child from sitting on the parent's lap and bar unmonitored conversations between parent and child. Larson said the provision was recommended by a newly hired prosecutor with extensive child‑abuse experience and was intended to protect children in state custody during visits.

Finally, Larson presented a consolidating ZBR docket that holds the previously approved temporary rule sets in place and combines sections to remove outdated text and improve readability. The committee approved each docket on voice votes after motions from committee members; individual motions and seconds are recorded in the committee transcript.

Committee members asked procedural questions about page numbers and sought staff expertise for precise clarifications; Andy Blackwood and Julie Subcic were available as subject matter experts, and the department said it would provide page references when requested.

The actions the committee approved include temporary protections and procedural changes tied to ongoing litigation, operational needs for foster placements, and a policy decision to remove adoption fees for children in custody.