CASCW at the Capitol - mid-March 2025 update | Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare

CASCW at the Capitol featuring Child welfare policy updates

March has been a busy month at the Minnesota State Capitol, as legislators sought to address issues such as county responses to educational neglect, reimbursement rates for the care of foster children, and conducting a fiscal analysis of Minnesota’s child welfare system.

CACSW takes a deeper dive into these and other state and national legislative developments below. To stay abreast of child welfare legislation, check out our regularly updated Bill Tracker. (Note: the inclusion of bills does not indicate a position for or against a particular policy.)

If you don’t see a news item or bill listed that you think should be, please contact Matthew Dooley, Outreach Graduate Assistant, at [email protected].

Legislative News & Updates

Legislative Deadlines Announced
The Minnesota Legislature released its agreed-upon deadlines for the 2025 session. The first and second deadlines will both be on Friday, April 4, at 5:00 p.m. The third deadline will be on Friday, April 11, at 12:00 noon. Per joint rules, the third deadline applies to “major appropriation and finance bills,” while the first deadline is for committees to “act favorably on bills in the house of origin”, and second deadlines is for committees to act favorably on bills, or companions of bills, that met the first deadline in the other house.”

Fiscal Analysis Bills Move Forward
On March 18 and 19, CACSW’s Executive Director Traci LaLiberte, PhD, testified in support of HF2135 and its companion SF1898. Both bills would require a comprehensive fiscal analysis of the child welfare system in Minnesota. The intent of the analysis is to identify state and federal sources of funding and also provide a transparent and external means of oversight into the current funding practices in Minnesota’s child welfare system. Both the House and Senate versions of the bill were laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.

Revising Definition of Educational Neglect
The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety heard testimony on SF942, a bill that would permit local child welfare agencies to implement a child welfare response (rather than a child protective response) to instances of educational neglect. The bill would require child welfare agencies to address truancy concerns in a culturally and linguistically appropriate format and includes funding appropriations to finance these changes. The bill was recommended to pass and re-referred to the Senate Committee on Education Policy.

Social Security Benefits for Foster Youth
On May 20, the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services heard testimony on SF1025 which establishes a trust to manage federal cash assistance benefits for foster youth and establishes a process for disbursing those benefits due to a foster youth after the age of 18. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.

Northstar Care for Children Bill
On March 21, the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services heard testimony on SF1548 which elevates the reimbursement rates for children under the age of six in the Northstar Kinship Assistance and the Northstar Adoption Assistance to the same rate as children above the age of six. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill.

Coordinated Background Checks for Childcare
HF2226 would require the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to alert the Department of Human Services making a background check request of whether the individual applying for employment is the subject of investigation for crimes against children through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Law Enforcement Services Portal. The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

Forensic Interview Training Scholarships
HF2136 would appropriate $250,000 from the general fund for the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years respectively to fund scholarships for basic and advanced forensic training for professionals involved in the child protection system such as law enforcement, social workers, and health professionals. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Public Safety on March 19.

Children’s Advocacy Centers
HF1295 would make children’s advocacy centers eligible for funds generated by fines imposed as penalties for violating certain criminal statutes such as domestic assault or sexual misconduct. The bill was placed on the General Register on March 18.

Amendment to Increase SSIS Funding
On March 11, the House Children and Families Finance and Policy Committee heard testimony on HF1169 which directs the Department of Children, Youth and Families to make recommendations on updating the SSIS system. An amendment authorizing using $40 million dollars of state money and matched by roughly $20 million of federal funding was approved and the bill was re-referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

New Bill Seeks Stability for Fostering Independence Grants
The Fostering Independence Grant program which funds college costs for foster youth nearly ran dry last year. SF2597 aims to avoid a repeat of that issue by creating a special revenue fund to ensure funds for the FIG program are not transferred to other programs while also rolling over any unused funds to the following year. The bill has been referred to the Senate’s Higher Education Committee.

Electronic Record-Keeping Mandate for Child Care
HF1916 mandates that child care centers receiving $1 million or more in child care assistance funds or early learning scholarships install cameras and use electronic attendance reporting as a means of preventing fraud. The bill is next scheduled to be examined by the Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee.

Modifying definition of children in need of protection and services
On March 19, the House Children and Families Finance and Policy heard testimony on HF1614 which adds additional conditions to the definition of a child in need of protection and services. The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services heard testimony on its companion bill SF1682. The bills add additional language to ensure that a custodian, parent or guardian who is unable to provide necessary care for a child due to lack of necessary services is not deemed to be ‘unwilling or unable’ to provide care. The House bill was re-referred to the Committee on Judiciary, Finance and Civil Law. The Senate bill was recommended to pass and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Opportunities and Events

Letter of Support for Social Security Block Grants
The Child Welfare League of America is asking for signatures to a letter to Congress urging that funding for programs such as Medicaid, Social Services Block Grant, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families not be reduced during the reconciliation process.

Read the letter Sign the Letter

(Note: the form states a deadline of Feb 24 to sign, but the authors have extended the deadline indefinitely).

Children’s Law Center of Minnesota
March 26, 3:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m., Indeed Brewing
This event includes a brief program to learn more about the Children’s Law Center at 6pm. A portion of sales are donated to the center.
Learn more and register for the event.

Kinship Support Group
March 28, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Evolve Family Services and the Institute to Transform Child Protection host a free support group for kinship caregivers. The group meets regularly in-person on the last Friday of every month at the Wilder Foundation in St Paul.
Learn more and register to join the group.

Disability Advocacy Day
March 25, Minnesota State Capitol
This event is hosted by the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities. Learn about the MCCD legislative agenda, attend a rally at the Capitol Rotunda, and lobby your policymakers directly.
Learn more and register for the event.

Advocacy for Children Day at the Capitol
April 7, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Safe Passage for Children’s 2025 Advocacy for Children Day at the Capitol is an opportunity to meet with legislators about key issues pertaining to the health and safety of children at risk of maltreatment.

CASCW at the Capitol - mid-March 2025 update

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