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Senate adopts narrow statutory fixes to child-welfare placement rules
Summary
Senate Bill 85, described by the sponsor as a small child-welfare statutory cleanup, clarifies placement and return-to-home language so foster children can remain together when appropriate; the measure was moved to third reading with a recorded floor tally of 27–0 (2 absent).
Senator Harper presented Senate Bill 85 to the Senate as a targeted statutory change to clarify language about returning children to foster families and placement of siblings.
Harper described the bill as "the smallest child welfare bill" he has run, saying many issues had been resolved through negotiation, rule changes or policy and that only one statutory change remained necessary. The sponsor pointed to confusing language in the statute and said the bill cleans up phrasing so foster children can remain placed together when appropriate and so return-to-home provisions are clearer.
Senator Henderson asked whether the bill reduces the number of children allowed in a foster home; Harper replied it does not and said it would allow a larger group to be placed with a single foster family in some cases.
After limited floor discussion the sponsor moved SB 85 to third reading. The clerk reported SB 85 had received 27 "yay" votes, 0 "nay" votes and 2 absences and that it would be read for a third time. The bill will continue through the Senate calendar for third-reading consideration and any implementing guidance will be handled through the relevant agencies and rule-making processes.
