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Minutes for HB2443 - Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care
Short Title
Establishing the office of the child advocate.
Minutes Content for Mon, Mar 6, 2023
The Chair called the meeting to order and opened the hearing on HB2443. Revisor, Jessie Pringle, gave a overview of the bill and stood for questions. (Attachment 1)
The following gave proponent testimony:
- Mike Fonkert, Kansas Appleseed believes the codifying of the Executive Order to establish an Office of the Child Advocate (Office) would work to protect our children and improve our child welfare system. The creation of an advocacy board will help to maintain independence in the Office and resist politicization. Additionally, Kansas Appleseed supports the requirement that the child advocate has relevant expertise in child welfare, includes retaliatory protections and the defines powers and authority granted to the Office. (Attachment 2) The Conferee stood for questions.
- Rachel Marsh: Children's Alliance of Kansas expressed support based on certain assertions, including, but not limited to; the Office will be as a-political as possible, Office appointment input will come from multi sources, qualifications will be established, and trends will be monitored. (Attachment 3). The conferee stood for questions.
The following submitted proponent testimony-written only.
- Kendall Seal, Center for the Rights of Abused Children (Attachment 4)
- Kyle Kessler, Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas (Attachment 5)
No neutrals or opponents were present. The Chair closed the hearing on HB2443.
Representative Johnson moved to approve the minutes of the Committee meetings held, February 13, February 15, February 20, and March 1, seconded by Representative Humphries. Motion passed.
The meeting was adjourned by the Chair.
The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held Wednesday, March 8, at1:30 in room 152 S of the Capitol.
