Here's What's Happening in Your State

The Senate Judiciary Committee will hear proponent testimony on a proposed fix to an Ohio Supreme Court ruling that said courts cannot use public safety as a factor in setting bail. Senate Joint Resolution 5 would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in November to allow courts to use public safety and other factors in determining the amount of bail posted. Senate Bill 182 and House Bill 315 would write into law the presumption for release rather than detention and greatly reduce the use of cash bail. 

An application period for low-income residents in West Virginia to apply for an energy assistance program has been extended to May 27. The federally funded program assists eligible state residents in paying home heating bills. The state Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) said eligibility for the benefits is based on income, household size and whether the household is responsible for paying its heating bill. An applicant’s annual income must be at or below 60% of the state median income to qualify. Applications are available at local DHHR offices.

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has dismissed a class-action lawsuit demanding sweeping changes to Indiana's child welfare system. The lawsuit was filed in 2019 on behalf of 10 minor children involved in Child In Need of Services (CHINS) cases, all of whom were in out-of-home or residential placements at the time of filing. The suit alleged the state, via the Department of Child Services (DCS), violated the children's due process rights, their first, ninth and fourteenth amendment rights, the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980, the American with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act.

Gov. Kemp signed the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget (HB 911). The purpose of this budget is to build a safer, stronger Georgia through significant investments in public safety, education, healthcare, the business environment and more. This includes:

• $28 million dollars toward extending Medicaid coverage of new mothers from six to twelve months following birth and increasing the provider rate for foster parents, Child Caring Institutions, Child Placing Agencies and relative caregivers by 10%
• Over $388 million additional dollars for K-12 instruction
• Minimum factor rate of 90% for HOPE scholarships and grants to cover tuition costs

Gov. Pritzker signed a new law aimed at improving the safety of transportation for foster children. The legislation was sponsored by state Rep. Amy Elik on behalf of a local foster parent, following concerns shared with her about the safety of children under the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).

HB 5064 provides that transportation services for children and families must comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. Drivers must also submit to a fingerprint-based criminal background check.

Gov. DeSantis signed HB 899 into law, which aims to fill in gaps in the care of students with mental health problems. The law requires each school district to have a mental health coordinator and that any student receiving behavioral health services through school also be connected with community resources to allow for better coordination between the school and the community. Another change requires the state’s charter schools to report data to the Florida Department of Education (DOE) on the involuntary examination of students. It also directs the DOE to share the school district-reported data with the Department of Children and Families (DCF) by July 1. The bill requires DCF to use this data in its biennial analysis of involuntary examinations of minors in Florida.

Gov. McMaster has signed SB 108, an election reform bill, into law. This law will give voters an early, in-person voting option for every future election, an offering that did not previously exist on a permanent basis in South Carolina.  However, this bill also restricts voting by mail.

Previously, early voting was set to begin on Monday, May 16, but due to changes in the law, early voting will begin Tuesday, May 31, and conclude on Friday, June 10.

Team Kentucky, thank you for participating in your primary election!

Charles Booker is the official Democratic Senate candidate, and Rand Paul, who is one of two current senators in Kentucky, is the official Republican Senate candidate.

Make sure you check out the full election results and prepare for the general election on Nov. 8!

Rural Nevada foster parents and kinship caregivers will be given business discounts this month, courtesy of Nevada businesses and the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS). These discount-bearing cards were sent to all rural Nevada foster and kinship caregivers. Foster parents and caregivers can present the cards to access their discounts, which vary in value by merchant. All discounts start at 10%.

After a short debate in the Louisiana House of Representatives, HB 813 author Rep. Danny McCormick requested to put the bill, which would charge individuals with murder if they receive an abortion, back on the calendar. However, lawmakers passed an amendment to remove the murder charge from the bill. Gov. Bel Edwards intends to veto the bill. The governor wants to “create a Louisiana that values life and supports women, children and families.”

Two photos shared by Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida are angering social media users as many parents in the U.S. deal with the effects of the ongoing baby formula shortage. The first photo shows a shelf stocked with baby formula at a detention center for undocumented immigrants, while the second shows bare store shelves. The federal government is required by law to provide adequate food and water, including baby formula, for migrant children under the Flores Settlement Agreement, which was approved by a federal district court in California in 1997. The Child Welfare League of America explains the legal agreement "outlines certain protection for immigrant children while in U.S. custody," including a provision prohibiting the detention of children for more than 20 days. As of May 11, there are about 8,800 migrant children in federal custody.

National Youth Advocate Program Inc. | nyap.org