Representative Rice amendment ties Senate Bill 608 to funding, adds bimonthly reports

The Children and Family Law Committee adopted an amendment to Senate Bill 608 that conditions implementation of a kinship-care provision on the availability of funding and requires bimonthly reports to the committee, the panel announced during an executive-session hearing.

Representative Rice, who moved the amendment, said it was agreed with the department and stakeholders and was intended to ensure accountability "because right now there's no funding" and budget cuts raise concerns about available money. "It also adds a provision that we receive bimonthly reports to the Children and Family Law Committee here and the Senate Children and Family Law Committee so that we can stay on top of this," Rice said.

Members who spoke in support emphasized the provision's potential to help relatives caring for children and to allow more people—seniors and family members—to remain at home. Representative Grama said the kinship provision is "incredibly important" in a state with limited resources. Representative Levesque described personal experience caring for family members and urged better outreach so caregivers know about available supports. Representative Georges said he supported the bill "for the best of all the children." The chair added that the change could keep people at home longer and save money and stress for families.

The clerk called a roll on the amendment; the transcript records the committee adopting Amendment 1263(h) by voice/roll as 15-0. Representative Rice then moved that the bill "ought to pass as amended," which the committee adopted in a subsequent roll call also recorded as 15-0. Representative Petrino moved to place the bill on the consent calendar.

Next step: the committee closed its consideration of Senate Bill 608 and recessed before taking up additional business. The committee will meet next week at 10 a.m. to consider another bill.