by Matthew Dooley
The past two weeks at the Capitol were marked by several important hearings on vital child welfare issues, including a crucial hearing for the African American Family Preservation Act (AAFPA) and last-minute attempts to guarantee Fostering Independence Grants. Check out the Bill Tracker for timely updates on these and related issues. While this is not exhaustive and issues often overlap, the tracker offers an at-a-glance summary of specific issues related to child protection. We also encourage you to explore this handy glossary of legislative terms from the National Conference of State Legislatures. Additionally, if you don’t see a bill listed that you think should be, please send the bill and any additional information to Matthew Dooley, Outreach Graduate Assistant, at dool0068@umn.edu.
Legislative Deadline
The first and second committee deadlines were last Friday, March 22, at 5 PM. Bills may still be under consideration for inclusion in the omnibus bill and our Bill Tracker should capture this!
Legislative Updates
As a reminder, many organizations release annual legislative agendas based on particular advocacy work. For example, check out National Association of Social Workers-MN (NASW), Institute to Transform Child Protection, Foster Advocates, Safe Passages, AspireMN, and MSSA.
Today’s Hearing on an Audit of MN Child Welfare System
Title IV-E Child Welfare Fiscal Analysis bill HF4192 will be heard in Chair Pinto’s Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee in the House on Tuesday, March 26, at 8:30am. The bill calls for a third-party audit of Minnesota’s child welfare system. The hearing will be held in the State Office Building Room 200 and streamed online. The link to the livestream is here.
African American Family Preservation Act Clears Major Hurdle
The Minnesota African American Family Preservation Act (AAFPA) / HF1151 (Rep. Agbaje) passed out of the Committee for Children and Family Finances. Despite tensions over the bill’s constitutionality that led to a brief recess, the bill was unanimously approved and is now headed for review by the House Judiciary Committee. Watch the hearing recording posted by the House and access additional footage that was not included on the legislative site.
Consequences for Failure to Comply with Mandated Reporting
HF4793 forbids organizations such as schools and non-profits from discouraging mandated reporting and makes failure to report a misdemeanor. Rep Jim Nash, the bill’s main author, provided powerful testimony during the Committee on Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee hearing on March 21, which you can view at the 1:26:11 mark. The bill passed out of Committee and was placed on the General Register for a House floor vote at a date to be determined.
Bill to Raise the Age of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction Moves Forward
HF3671, authored by Rep Dave Pinto, raises the age at which youths enter Juvenile Court Jurisdiction from 10 to 13 years. After review by the House Committee of Public Safety Finance and Policy, the bill was placed on the General Register for a House floor vote at a date to be determined.
Ensuring Financial Support for Fosters in Higher Education
Fostering Independence Grants (FIG), which provide financial support to foster youth in higher education, face a budget shortfall this year, and the legislature is considering SF4003 and HF4024 which create a wait-list system to address this shortfall, a measure that Foster Advocates and other foster supporters say is not enough. The Star Tribune recently reported on efforts to provide bridge funding to avoid a wait-list system and guarantee grants for all eligible foster youth to solve this issue.
Upcoming Events
Foster Advocates Virtual Village Gathering
Friday, April 5, 11-1:45 AM
Hear about Foster Advocates efforts during this year’s legislative session.
Learn More
Safe Passage for Children of Minnesota’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol
Monday, April 8, 1-4:30 PM at the Saint Paul Capitol
Register Here