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Kansas committee hears bill to adopt revised interstate compact for placement of children
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Summary
The Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care heard testimony supporting House Bill 2557 to adopt the revised Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children, which proponents say adds an interstate commission, clearer definitions, timeliness requirements and an administrative appeal process to reduce placement delays.
The Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care held a hearing on House Bill 2557 on Feb. 23 to consider adopting the revised Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC), a uniform agreement states use to manage foster-care and adoption placements across state lines.
Jesse from the Revisor of Statutes’ office told the committee the bill “enacts the new compact” and replaces prior statutory language (cited in the bill as KSA 38-1201) with the revised article-based text. He said the revision adds a new interstate commission with rulemaking power, dispute-resolution procedures and provisions governing placement evaluation, approval and agency responsibilities.
Rebecca Gerhardt, director of Permanency and Licensing at the Department for Children and Families (DCF), testified that DCF supports passage of HB 2557 and described several practical changes the compact would bring. “The revised ICPC provides us an opportunity to update that statutory language to reflect the priorities for Kansas,” Gerhardt said, noting the new text explicitly mentions timeliness and creates an administrative appeal process for proposed placements that are denied. She told the committee the compact would also allow for public comment on commission rules and require annual reporting from the interstate commission.
Gerhardt said the commission would begin formal rulemaking once a threshold of member states has been reached and warned of possible consequences if many states do not adopt the revised language: “We may not be able to place children outside of Kansas, and other children may not be able to be placed in Kansas,” she said.
Carrie Loner of the Kansas Office of the Child Advocate told the committee her office has received numerous complaints about excessive delays and inconsistent application of the current ICPC process and urged Kansas to join neighboring states early so the state can help shape rules that affect timelines and definitions. “We stand here in support of Kansas moving forward,” Loner said.
Crystal Hedrick, CEO of the Children’s Alliance of Kansas, described day-to-day examples of how interstate coordination affects permanency—relatives who live just over state lines, military families who relocate, and situations in which Kansas must seek out-of-state adoptive families with specialized skills. “This bill will support a smoother interstate coordination,” Hedrick said, arguing that consistent language and shared procedures could reduce the time children spend in foster care.
Several committee members asked whether Kansas could begin using the revised language before the interstate commission completes rulemaking; witnesses said states such as Nebraska and Wisconsin have removed prior statutory language and in some instances operate using the revised definitions while awaiting full nationwide adoption. Witnesses also said DCF does not anticipate a material fiscal impact and believes the department can absorb required administrative costs in its current budget.
No opponents or neutral witnesses spoke at the hearing. The chair announced an informational hearing on HB 2589 (a change from anonymous to confidential reporting to the child-protective hotline) would open the following day. The committee adjourned until tomorrow.
What’s next: HB 2557 received a public hearing and testimony in support; the transcript shows no final vote or committee recommendation during this session.
