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Minutes for HB2194 - Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care
Short Title
Enacting the Representative Gail Finney memorial foster care bill of rights.
Minutes Content for Mon, Jan 30, 2023
The Chair opened the hearing on HB2194, the Gail Finney Memorial Foster Care Bill of Rights. Jessie Pringle, Assistant Revisor of Statues (Revisor) provided an overview of HB2194 to the Committee. (Attachment 1) The Revisor stood for questions from committee members.
Proponents, in person, were as follows:
Rachel Marsh, Chief Financial Officer, Children's Alliance of Kansas recognizes that both youth in foster care and foster families in Kansas need a clear statement of rights. (Attachment 2)
Kristalle Hedrick, Vice President, Kansas Programs, FosterAdopt, Connect, believes HB2194 grantees certain protections for youth in foster care and affords an opportunity to raise up youth voices in their own journey towards safety and well-being. (Attachment 3)
Representative Sydney Carlin was recognized by the Chair and took the opportunity to briefly address the committee to give support for this bill placing basic rights in statute, providing assurance to those acting as foster parents, and hopefully providing comfort to children whose lives have been uprooted through no fault of their own. .(Attachment 4)
Conferees stood for questions
Written only Proponent Testimony was provided by the following:
Taylor Williams, Saint Francis Ministries (Attachment 5)
Representative Stephanie Clayton (Attachment) 6
Rachelle Roosevelt, Vice President of Permanency, TFI (Attachment 7)
Laura Howard, Department for Children and Families (Attachment 8)
Mike Fonkert, Campaign Director, Kansas Appleseed,(Attachment 9)
Kerrie Lonard, Kansas Office of Public Advocates, Division of Child Advocacy (Attachment 10)
Kendall Seal, The Center for Rights of Abused Children (Attachment 11)
There were no neutrals or opponents present. The hearing on HB2194 was closed by the Chair.
