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Minutes for SB401 - Committee on Federal and State Affairs
Short Title
Creating the adoption protection act.
Minutes Content for Tue, Mar 20, 2018
Matt Sterling, Revisor of Statutes gave an overview of SB401, which creates the adoption protection act. (Attachment 1)
Comments were made and questions were asked by Senator Oletha Faust-Goudeau.
Proponents
Ty Masterson, Senator, District 16, Kansas Truth Caucus, spoke as a proponent to SB401. (Attachment 2)
Martha Baumgardner, Senator, District 37, offered testimony in support of SB401. She noted that this bill assures that we are going to place children in loving homes with a full array of family choices. (Attachment 3)
Discussion and questions were asked and comments made by Senator Oletha Faust-Goudeau.
Susan Humphries, Representative, District 99, Adoptive parent and Attorney, gave testimony in support of SB401. (Attachment 4)
Discussion and questions were asked and comments made by Senators: Lynn Rogers, and Oletha Faust-Goudeau.
Troy Cumings, Bethany Christian Services, spoke as a proponent to SB401. He noted that this bill protects the status quo with the agencies that already exist. He believes this helps maximize resources for kids. (Attachment 5)
Cara DeCoursey, a birth mother, offered testimony in support of SB401. Spoke to the committee regarding the agency she worked with when she was looking for an adoptive family for her son 28 years ago, and the importance of placing the child with a similar faith family. (Attachment 6)
Devin Penny, adoptive father, offered testimony in support of SB401. (Attachment 7)
Melissa Penny, adoptive mother, spoke in support of SB401. (Attachment 8)
Julie Samaniego, Circle of Love, Inc., gave testimony in support of SB401. (Attachment 9)
Deborah J. Snapp, Executive Director, Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas, presented testimony in support of SB401. (Attachment 10)
Austin K. Vincent, Attorney, offered testimony in support of SB401 and he believes this bill is more about the protection of conscious. Mr. Vincent believes that this is an additional protection for religiously based organizations. (Attachment 11)
Discussion and questions were asked and comments made by Senators: Oletha Faust-Goudeau, and Lynn Rogers.
Written Proponents
Submitting written only testimony were these individuals and organizations:
Phillip Cosby, himself, (Attachment 12)
Catholic Bishops of Kansas, Kansas Catholic Conference, (Attachment 13)
Gina Meier-Hummel, Secretary, Kansas Department of Children and Families, (Attachment 14)
Michelle Martin, Catholic Charities of Northern Kansas, (Attachment 15)
Sister Dolora May, CSJ, St. Joseph Adoption Ministry, (Attachment 16)
Herbert M. Newell, IV, President & Executive Director, Lifeline Children's Services, Inc., (Attachment 17)
Pastors Across Kansas, (Attachment 18)
Steven Roach, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, (Attachment 19)
Barbara Saldivar, herself, (Attachment 20)
Eric Teetsel, Family Policy Alliance of Kansas, (Attachment 21)
Julian Thomas, St. Nick Adoptions, LLC, (Attachment 22)
Susan Timmons, Christian Family Services, (Attachment 23)
Andrew Uhlschmidt, LMSW, himself, (Attachment 24)
Ken Williams, Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, (Attachment 25)
Chair Bud Estes hearing on SB401 was suspended until March 21, 2018.
Chair Bud Estes stated that the hearing for the opponents of SB401 would be March 21, 2018.
Chair Bud Estes adjourned the meeting at 11:40 am.
