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Committee hears SB 17 to align foster‑care hearing timelines; proponents cite efficiency
Summary
Sen. Dennis Lentz told the House Human Services committee SB 17 would convert a 5‑day initial hearing to '5 working days' and move the show‑cause hearing to 21 days to match rural court schedules; Department of Public Health and Human Services supported the change as a clarity and efficiency measure.
Senator Dennis Lentz opened the House Health and Human Services hearing on Senate Bill 17, saying the measure grew from the Court System Dependency and Neglect Task Force and aims to refine the timing of early foster‑care hearings.
"This came out of the Court System Dependency and Neglect Task Force," Lentz said, adding the bill would make the existing five‑day initial hearing a five‑working‑day standard and set the show‑cause hearing at 21 days to better suit rural districts.
Jessie Counts, executive director for the Human Services practice area at the Department of Public Health and Human Services, testified in support and said the measure "creates clarity and efficiency in the foster care legal process" by aligning pre‑hearing conference timing so parents and judiciary staff need only request one day away from work when conferences and emergency hearings coincide.
An online proponent, Lisa Bennett, asked whether hearings could be videotaped, saying recording would be "in the best interest of both the Child Protective Services workers as well as the families." Senator Lentz and the chair responded that recording proposals extend beyond the narrow timing changes SB 17 addresses and would require separate legislation.
Committee members asked procedural questions about court reporters and whether the change would conflict with other hearings; the sponsor and staff said recording and remote‑field recording issues were separate policy discussions. No formal amendments or votes on SB 17 were taken in committee during this hearing.
The committee closed the SB 17 hearing with the sponsor available for questions in follow‑up. The record shows proponents from DPHHS and a private commenter; the committee will decide next steps in future work sessions or executive action.
