04/16/2010 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 126(FIN)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to extensions and resumptions of                                                                          
     state custody of children; and providing for an                                                                            
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman said it was the first hearing on the bill.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LES GARA,  SPONSOR, explained  the bill  has                                                                    
two  purposes.  The  first  provision   is  to  implement  a                                                                    
national priority to extend foster  care to age 21 for youth                                                                    
who need the help and  stability of an adult. That provision                                                                    
is found  on page 1,  line 14, to page  2, line 2.  There is                                                                    
some  matching federal  money available.  Studies show  that                                                                    
troubled  youth do  better with  extended foster  care. Data                                                                    
from the Midwest supports this concept.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Representative Gara  discussed the  second provision  in the                                                                    
bill,  which  is   to  correct  an  inequity   in  the  law.                                                                    
Currently, if  a child opts  out of  foster care at  age 16,                                                                    
that  decision  is irrevocable.  Under  this  bill, that  is                                                                    
corrected to allow  children to come back  under foster care                                                                    
if  conditions warrant  and  Office  of Children's  Services                                                                    
(OCS) approves.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Gara  shared how  money  would  be saved  by                                                                    
delaying  the  effective  date   of  the  bill.  A  one-time                                                                    
computer cost  of $200,000  would be saved.  In each  of the                                                                    
next four  years, the  cost is  roughly $470,000  in general                                                                    
funds.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman   noted  three   fiscal  notes   from  the                                                                    
Department of  Health and Social Services;  one for $130,700                                                                    
in  general funds  and  $73,500 in  federal  match; one  for                                                                    
$38,000 in  general funds and  $2,200 in federal  match; and                                                                    
one for  $186,000 in  general funds  and $37,000  in federal                                                                    
match.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:05:39 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Huggins  asked how many  children would  be affected                                                                    
by this legislation.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
ALLISON ELGEE, ASSISTANT  COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH                                                                    
AND  SOCIAL   SERVICES,  estimated  35  children   would  be                                                                    
affected.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MIKE LESMAN,  OFFICE OF  CHILDREN'S SERVICES,  DEPARTMENT OF                                                                    
HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, introduced himself.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
HB 126 was postponed until the afternoon meeting.