HOUSE FILE 188

BY  ISENHART

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to requirements for foster care provided by an individual in a single-family home facility.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  Section 237.3, subsection 1, Code 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  Except as otherwise provided by subsections 3 and 4, the administrator shall promulgate, after their adoption by the council on human services, and enforce in accordance with chapter 17A, administrative rules necessary to implement this chapter. Formulation of the rules shall include consultation with representatives of child foster care providers, and other persons affected by this chapter. The rules shall encourage the provision of child foster care in a single-family, home environment, exempting the single-family, home facility from inappropriate rules.  The rules applicable to window egress in a facility which is a single-family home in which the child foster care is provided by an individual shall not apply standards in excess of those to which the home is subject under the state or local building code for a single-family home without foster care children.
EXPLANATION
   This bill relates to requirements for foster care provided by an individual in a single-family home facility.
    Current law in Code section 237.3, relating to administrative rules adopted by the department of human services for child foster care, directs the department to encourage the provision of child foster care in a single-family, home environment, exempting the single-family, home facility from inappropriate rules. 
   The bill amends Code section 237.3 to provide that the rules applicable to window egress of a facility which is a single-family home in which the child foster care is provided by an individual cannot apply standards in excess of those under the state or local building code applicable if child foster care was not provided in the single-family home.