Senate File 2141 - Introduced



                                       SENATE FILE       
                                       BY  MILLER


    Passed Senate, Date               Passed House,  Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act revising foster care licensing requirements applicable to
  2    the relative of a child.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 5846SS 81
  5 jp/sh/8

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 237.5, Code 2005, is amended by adding
  1  2 the following new subsection:
  1  3    NEW SUBSECTION.  4.  Notwithstanding the definition of the
  1  4 term "child foster care" in section 237.1 or any other
  1  5 provision of law or rule to the contrary, unless foster care
  1  6 placement of a child with a willing and available relative is
  1  7 determined to be contrary to the best interests of the child,
  1  8 to the maximum extent allowed under federal law, regulation,
  1  9 and funding requirements, the department shall suspend, waive,
  1 10 or modify individual foster care licensing requirements
  1 11 otherwise applicable under this chapter so that licensing=
  1 12 related barriers to the child's placement with the relative
  1 13 are reduced to the maximum extent possible.
  1 14                           EXPLANATION
  1 15    This bill revises the foster care licensing requirements
  1 16 applied by the department of human services to the relative of
  1 17 a child.  The bill provides an exception to statutory and
  1 18 regulatory requirements in directing the department of human
  1 19 services to suspend, waive, or modify the individual foster
  1 20 care licensing requirements otherwise applicable under the
  1 21 foster care Code chapter so that licensing=related barriers to
  1 22 the child's placement with a relative are reduced to the
  1 23 maximum extent possible.  An exception to the directive
  1 24 applies if the child's placement with a willing and available
  1 25 relative is determined to be contrary to the child's best
  1 26 interests.  The directive is limited to the maximum extent the
  1 27 directive is allowed under federal law, regulation, and
  1 28 funding requirements.  The bill specifically addresses the
  1 29 definition of the term "child foster care" in Code section
  1 30 237.1, which states that the care is provided "by a person
  1 31 other than a relative or guardian of the child".
  1 32 LSB 5846SS 81
  1 33 jp:nh/sh/8