BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Idaho lawmakers are moving forward with a package of child welfare bills inspired by a group of siblings who experienced abuse by their biological parents and whose baby brother died after repeated calls for a welfare check that never happened.
At the State Capitol, the Senate will next consider the Foster Child Safety Act after the House passed it this week (58-7-5).
The sponsor of HB724, Representative Josh Wheeler, described the bill as a list of rights for foster children that codifies ‘best practices’ of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to ensure the protection of foster children’s safety, health, and access to necessities.
“It articulates, simply, several fundamental safety protections so everyone involved in the system: courts, case workers, foster parents and advocates are operating from the same clear understanding of those expectations,” Rep. Wheeler said during the bill’s House Health and Welfare Committee hearing last Thursday. The committee passed the bill with a do-pass recommendation after gut-wrenching testimony from foster parents and former foster children.
The rights listed, while being noted as a broad expression, are not exhaustive and are meant to be interpreted and applied to meet the best interests of each child:
- The right to reside in a safe and healthy environment.
- The freedom from physical, sexual, emotional or other abuse. The right to timely and appropriate medical assessments and forensic testing if abuse is suspected.
- The right to adequate and appropriate essentials, including food, shelter, clothing and personal necessities.
- The right to limit, restrict, suspend or deny visitation by court order because visitation would be contrary to the safety and well-being of the child.
- The right to reasonable consideration of the child’s safety during transitions between foster care placements when practicable and consistent with the safety of the child.
- A written notice of these rights upon entering care.
The Foster Child Safety Act is one of three bills, the other two are Isaiah’s Law and Benji’s Law, moving through the Legislature inspired by a group of siblings; three, including Isaiah, adopted by their foster mom, Monique Peyre, last summer, and their newborn brother, Benji, who died while in the care of their biological parents in Nampa in December.
Isaiah’s Law passed the Senate and awaits movement in the House, while Benji’s Law awaits a possible hearing after being printed.
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