Committee approves initial foster‑care reform package; sponsor says more work ahead
Lawmakers moved a foster‑care reform PCS out of committee after the sponsor outlined goals to improve in‑county placements, increase foster‑parent payments and add services for behavioral and mental‑health needs; members discussed felony penalties and pledged further collaboration with DHS and stakeholders.
The full story
The sponsor (identified in the transcript as Speaker 1) presented House Bill 33‑44, describing foster care as a personal passion and laying out an expansive agenda: improve in‑county placements, increase payments to foster parents, plug service gaps for mental‑health and behavioral needs, and adjust penalties tied to egregious misconduct. The sponsor said the bill is only the beginning and that the PCS will be refined with DHS, judges and committee input.
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