Welcome Back!

Welcome back to my e-update! Summer is wrapping up, kids are back in school and the Assembly is back in session! With legislators back in Madison, there are many things to be excited about in the next few months. A few things that I am looking forward to most in September are an upcoming hearing in the Committee on Children and Families on the Family First Prevention Services Act and recommendations from the Speaker's Task Force on Adoption! Read more about these events below! 

On September 18th, the committee that I chair will be hosting a hearing on the federal Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA). Signed by President Trump in February 2018, the bipartisan law changes how child welfare services are funded by prioritizing keeping families together through prevention services, while ensuring that children that are removed from the home are in the best possible care setting. 

Child welfare advocates and service providers from across the country are excited about the new opportunities under FFPSA. To fully take advantage of this opportunity, the state will likely need to make changes to how we fund  certain child welfare services and who is eligible for those services. The hearing on September 18th will give lawmakers in our state the chance to learn about the federal law; ask questions; and collaborate with the Department of Children and Families about how to use this opportunity to best serve our kids and families. 

The hearing will occur at 11AM in the State Capitol Building. During this hearing, we will hear from experts on the federal law; there will not be an opportunity for public testimony. I encourage anyone interested to view the hearing online! 

As you may recall, earlier this year the Assembly Speaker convened a task force to study the topic of adoption. Particularly, the group of legislators was called to examine termination of parental rights; identify ways to shorten the timeline for adoption; evaluate the costs of adoption and ways to reduce the amount; and increase awareness and resources pertaining to adoption. 

During 5 public hearings throughout the state we heard from adoptive parents, individuals who had been adopted, former foster youth, service providers, judges, district attorneys, public defenders, tribal communities, and more! It was invaluable to hear from those that have been directly impacted by our adoption system. 

The next step for the task force is to identify specific policy items that we can pursue to make the adoption process less burdensome on all parties involved. Stay tuned for updates on the task force's recommendations!  

The Week Ahead

Next week, several bills that I authored will be voted on in committee. Assembly bill 187, which will standardize pre-licensing for micro markets, is being voted on in the Senate Committee on Public Benefits, Licensing and State-Federal Relations. 

On the same day, two bills that I authored on behalf of a constituent will be voted on in the Senate Committee on Local Government, Small Business, Tourism and Workforce Development. Assembly bills 240 and 241 protect those with food allergies by raising awareness among restaurant staff and increasing communication to reduce critical incident risk.  

You can view the results of those votes, which should be available by next Wednesday, at the following links: AB 187, 240, 241.