There are several bills that have already been introduced this session that are related to foster care. You can look up what each bill would affect as well as where it is in the legislative process here.

 

Here are some of the bill numbers and quick overviews of what they are about:

 

• SB 1383 amending current foster parent regulations to strike out the ability for families to foster without their adopted or birth children being immunized
• SB 1323 appropriating monies ($5,000,000) to the department of child safety for family and drug abuse prevention counseling services
• SB 1380 amending out of home placement documents requiring out of home placement provider to provide placements 16 and older with social security card, birth certificate, nonoperation identification license, and immunization records within 60 days of placement.
• SB 1395 amending Arizona statutes on when a child can be removed from their home without a court order
• HB 2482 allowing kids in foster care to qualify for tuition waiver for in state schools if they were in foster care at 13 or older.
• HB 2376 provisional foster care license for 6 months for kinship families allowing them to receive the same supports as licensed families as they work to acquire their foster license.
• HB 2300 unsubstantiated claims of abuse and neglect cannot be reported in the central registry

 

This is not a complete list, but it is a good start of bills that are worth following. We encourage you to read what is in legislation and voice your opinion. This is a way we all can be advocates for kids in foster care. How can your voice be heard? Log in to azleg.gov to vote online or send a quick email to the committee members with whom the bill has been assigned telling them why you are for or against the bill.

 

Special thanks to Mothers for Arizona’s Children for keeping track of bills related to children.

Thank you for your great question! If you have questions, send them to #youaskedfa or Kim@fosteraz.com