03/27/2001 03:37 PM House HES

HB 164-GRANDPARENTS' RIGHTS REGARDING CINA                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DYSON announced that the  committee would hear testimony on                                                               
HOUSE  BILL   NO.  164,  "An   Act  prescribing  the   rights  of                                                               
grandparents  related   to  child-in-need-of-aid   hearings;  and                                                               
amending Rules 3, 7, 10, 15, and  19, Alaska Child in Need of Aid                                                               
Rules."                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 1127                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BETTY ROLANDS (ph)  came forth in support of HB  164.  She stated                                                               
that she  belongs to an  organization called Kids  Count, working                                                               
with children  who are financially  and physically at risk.   She                                                               
said  she is  currently working  with two  sets of  grandparents.                                                               
One has  spent over  $35,000 trying  to get  their grandchildren;                                                               
they never  knew what  was going  on until  they filed  their own                                                               
motion  in court.   Another  set of  grandparents, from  Seattle,                                                               
Washington, had been writing back  and forth to DFYS (Division of                                                               
Family  &  Youth  Services)  for  two  years  to  get  their  two                                                               
grandchildren.   She remarked that  this bill would  assist these                                                               
people  in  getting the  information  from  the minute  something                                                               
happens  to their  grandchild.   She added  that she  thinks that                                                               
grandparents are a vital link to a grandchild.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHUCK ROLANDS (ph) came forth in  support of HB 164.  He remarked                                                               
that he  feels it is  important for  children to know  where they                                                               
have  come  from  and  to  have  close  connections  with  family                                                               
members.  He stated:                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Recently  we've had  high school  shootings.   It seems                                                                    
     these kids are misfits.   I don't believe that ... they                                                                    
     were part of  the foster system, but I  believe no good                                                                    
     can come if we just  desecrate somebody's history.  And                                                                    
     if at  all possible,  I believe foster  children should                                                                    
     be placed  with a  relative or  grandparents.   Also, I                                                                    
     have seen  the foster system  at work, and I  believe a                                                                    
     blood relative  will take better  care of a  child than                                                                    
     somebody  who's  just  getting paid  money,  because  I                                                                    
     think love is more important than money.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Number 0925                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
THERESA TANOURY,  Director, Division of Family  & Youth Services,                                                               
Department of  Health &  Social Services,  came forth  and stated                                                               
that [DHSS]  supports the bill.   She noted that  [DFYS], through                                                               
existing  practice, notifies  relatives, including  grandparents,                                                               
whenever a  child comes into custody.   She added that  this bill                                                               
gives  [DFYS] some  options.   If [DFYS]  knows the  grandparents                                                               
ahead of  time, the grandparents need  to be given notice  of any                                                               
court  hearing, and  they have  the right  to be  heard at  those                                                               
hearings.    She  noted  that the  sponsor  statement  refers  to                                                               
delinquency hearings;  however, the bill only  affects the child-                                                               
in-need-of-aid statutes.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
[HB 164 was held over.]