SB 82-FOSTER CARE LICENSING/STATE CUSTODY  4:32:20 PM CHAIR KELLER announced that the final order of business would be CS FOR SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL NO. 82(JUD), "An Act relating to the procedures and jurisdiction of the Department of Health and Social Services for the care of children who are in state custody; relating to court jurisdiction and findings pertaining to children who are in state custody; and modifying the licensing requirements for foster care." 4:32:48 PM SENATOR BETTYE DAVIS, Alaska State Legislature, said that her staff member, Celeste Hodge, would explain the proposed changes and compromises. She said that she would also be available for any questions. 4:33:33 PM REPRESENTATIVE DICK moved to adopt the proposed House committee substitute (HCS) for CSSSSB82(JUD), Version 27-LS0500\R, Lauckhaupt\Mischel, 3/6/12, as the working document. There being no objection, Version R was adopted as the working document. 4:33:55 PM CELESTE HODGE, Staff, Senator Bettye Davis, Alaska State Legislature, directed attention to the proposed changes in Version R. She stated that there were no changes in Section 1 or Section 2. She explained that there was a new Section 3, identifying page 3, lines 11 - 17, and read from the Explanation of Changes [Included in members' packets]: amends provisions for extensions of state custody orders to distinguish among circumstance of release and need for out of home care. The proposed changes, page 3, line 11-17 were developed in consultation with the Department of Law and the Office of Children's Services and delineate statutorily the situations under which a youth may reenter state custody after being released. This delineation was needed to ensure proper applications of the reentry provision passed in 2010. Specifically, the proposed changes enable youth to reenter state custody if they were released to their parents' custody between ages 16 - 18 but those parents are unable or unwilling to care for the child. Page 3, lines 19-27, this language was added to clarify the conditions that must be met for a youth to reenter state custody. MS. HODGE stated that Section 4 was renumbered to Section 5, Section 5 was renumbered to Section 6, Section 6 was renumbered to Section 7, and Section 7 was renumbered to Section 8. 4:35:34 PM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked if the majority of the changes were on page 3, lines 19-24. 4:36:03 PM MS. HODGE clarified that all the changes were on page 3, lines 11-17 and 19-27. 4:36:39 PM CHAIR KELLER, in response to Senator Davis, said that he was not going to submit an amendment. 4:36:51 PM SENATOR DAVIS announced that all the contributing parties were in agreement to pass Version R. 4:37:05 PM CHAIR KELLER, directing attention to page 3, line 6, asked to clarify that this was a resumption of custody. 4:37:51 PM TRACY SPARTZ-CAMPBELL, Deputy Director, Central Office, Office of Children's Services (OCS), Department of Health and Social Services, stated that OCS was in agreement with the changes in Version R. 4:38:25 PM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON asked if OCS agreed with the proposed bill, as well as the changes in Version R. MS. SPARTZ-CAMPBELL confirmed that OCS agreed with the totality of proposed Version R. 4:38:51 PM AMANDA METIVIER, Statewide Coordinator, Facing Foster Care in Alaska, testified that Facing Foster Care supported SB 82. She reviewed that the proposed bill would: define siblings and request their placement together; restrict the use of "another planned permanent living arrangement" as a permanency goal; loosen the licensing standard for rural communities so young children could stay in the community, rather than move to urban areas; and allow for re-entry to foster care after an earlier release of custody. 4:42:26 PM CHAIR KELLER closed public testimony. 4:42:52 PM REPRESENTATIVE DICK moved to report HCS CSSSSB82 (JUD), Version 27-LS0500\R, Luckhaupt/Mischel, 3/6/12, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HCS CSSSSB82 (HSS) was forwarded from the House Health and Social Services Standing Committee.