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Committee forwards resolution urging that future federal family‑health grants allow use for adoption and birth‑mother supports
Summary
Senate Concurrent Resolution 105 asks that, if federal family‑health grants become available, Idaho be allowed to use them for adoption education, birth‑mother supports and related services; the committee sent the resolution to the floor with a "do pass" recommendation after debate on federal funding vs. private alternatives.
Senator Julie Van Orden introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 105 to the House Health and Welfare Committee and said the resolution does not request federal funds but asks that if family‑health or family‑planning grants become available the language allow Idaho to use such grants for adoption education and supports for birth mothers. “We are asking that if grants become available in the health and welfare space…that Idaho would like to see provisions put in there so that those funds may be used for adoption expenses,” she told the committee.
Terry Marcroft, testifying for Unplanned Good, urged committee members to back the resolution and said adoption awareness and birth‑mother supports could increase the number of adoptions. “The key is to increasing that 1 percent is in building awareness about adoption as an option, and then taking much better care of the women, the brave women who choose life and then choose parents for their babies,” Marcroft said.
Committee debate focused on whether it is appropriate to rely on federal dollars for adoption supports or to emphasize private and nonprofit funding. Representative Levitt moved to hold the resolution, arguing the state should not lean more heavily on federal funding and that nonprofit options could be developed; Representative Kaler, Representative McCann and others said private charities are important but argued that allowing the state to accept federal grant money specifically targeted for adoption support could expand services.
After discussion and a roll‑call on a motion to hold (which failed), the committee carried a motion to send SCR 105 to the floor with a “do pass” recommendation. The secretary recorded final action as "sent to the floor with a due pass recommendation." The resolution does not itself appropriate funds; it expresses the legislature's preference for grant terms that allow use for adoption education and birth‑mother supports if federal grants are offered.
