THE 126th OHIO GENERAL ASSEMBLY
SUMMARY OF PENDING CHILD WELFARE LEGISLATION
(As of
HOUSE BILLS
HB
66
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Introduced to
House: This bill makes operating
appropriations for the biennium beginning · Kinship Permanency Incentive
Program - this new program, funded at $10 M / year TANF funds supports
low income families that have received court ordered custody of the children
in their homes and launched · Access to Better Care
(ABC) - The 2006-07 Biennial Budget included $12 M in new state funds,
coupled with a variety of other federal and state funds, to improve the
mental health and drug and alcohol treatment services to children, youth and
their families. ABC focuses on Prevention, Early Intervention and Treatment
services, all with a focus on serving kids in and with their families, and
maintaining children in the community. Other accomplishments in the budget
include:
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HB
79
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Introduced to
House: This bill
requires that information about professional misconduct or child abuse or
neglect committed by a person licensed by the State Board of Education be
submitted to the Superintendent of Public Instruction and requires the State
Board to request a criminal records check prior to renewing an educator
license. PCSAO worked
with Rep. Raga’s office and other interested parties on amendment language
for the bill as it went to the Senate.
The language was accepted by the Senate education committee. PCSAO testified in support of the bill |
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HB
178
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Introduced to
House: This bill expands the class of
persons who may execute a caretaker authorization affidavit or be designated
as attorney in fact under a power of attorney for the purposes of exercising
authority over the care, custody, and control of a child. Since this
concept was what PCSAO supported in HB 130, we support this in concept, but
recognize that the courts may be resistant.
The Legislative Committee reaffirmed looking at the impact of HB 130. PCSAO offered supportive testimony on |
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HB
180
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Introduced to
House: This bill prohibits, subject to
certain exceptions, discrimination in group care policies, contracts, and
agreements in the coverage provided for the diagnosis, care, and treatment of
biologically based mental illness. PCSAO supports this legislation that
would prevent insurance companies from discriminating against biologically
based mental illnesses. Under the
proposed Mental Health Parity legislation, health insurance coverage for
severe mental illnesses would not cost the consumer more than coverage for
other medical services. On |
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HB
250
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Introduced to House: This bill authorizes two or more
school boards to create a taxing district for the joint funding of behavioral
health, autism, and related services to students. PCSAO supports the funding of
substance abuse and intervention services, behavioral health services, and
autism services; but opposes HB 250 and the creation of “special” taxing
districts that would:
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HB
289
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Introduced to
House: This bill is
in regards to the duties of the Ohio Family and Children First Cabinet
Council and county family and children first councils. The bill:
PCSAO worked
with Ohio Family and Children First, CCAO, and OJFSDA in the House to ensure
outcome indicators to be measured are selected locally. |
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HB
372
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Introduced to
House: This bill
increases the monthly cash assistance benefit provided under the Ohio Works
First program by $100 and to make an appropriation. The PCSAO
Board of Trustees unanimously endorsed supporting HB 372. |
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HB
515
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Introduced to
House: This bill prohibits a homosexual,
bisexual, or transgender person or an individual living with such a person
from adopting or fostering youth. PCSAO Board
of Trustees, Staff and Membership thank Speaker Jon Husted
for his leadership in opposing HB 515, the Adoptive/Foster Child Bill. Speaker Husted’s
clear position that this legislation is discriminatory, divisive and not in
the best interest of the 3000 children waiting for adoption in our state is
one of clear leadership and advocacy for |
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HB
529
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Introduced to
Senate: This bill revises the law governing
adoption, foster care, and related laws regarding the Department of Job and
Family Services. PCSAO has and will continue to work
with the sponsors, ODJFS and several interested parties on this bill.
We applaud Sen. Niehaus and Rep. Wagner for their
dedication to making sure children are safe while not creating unnecessary
barriers to adoption. Leadership is looking at an aggressive hearing
schedule for this bill given the expected limited legislative schedule before
the General Assembly’s summer recess. |
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SENATE BILLS
SB
17
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Introduced to
Senate: This bill
requires a member of the clergy, rabbi, priest, minister, or any person or
layperson acting as a leader, official, delegate, or other designated
function on behalf of any church, religious society, or faith to report the
abuse or neglect of a child if certain individuals fail to report the abuse
or neglect of the child. The
bill:
PCSAO
supports Senate Bill 17 – anytime we can keep a child from being abused or
re-abused that is our mission in |
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SB
53
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Introduced to
Senate: February 9, 2005 This bill
governs pseudoephedrine sales in The bill:
With passage
of SB 53, Ohio will join many other states that have legislation that: 1)
restricts the availability and purchase of products containing pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient in meth, and 2) toughens penalties for manufacturing drugs
in the presence of children. Such laws
have proven successful in other states and their fight against meth. PCSAO
commends Sen. Carey and members of the General Assembly in both the House and
Senate for unanimously passing this important piece of legislation to protect
children. |
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SB
63
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Introduced to
Senate: This bill provides for voluntary
placement agreements for children with mental illness, to prohibit a public
children services agency from requiring that a parent or custodian relinquish
legal custody in order to access services under a voluntary placement
agreement, and revises the law governing county families and children first
councils. PCSAO
supports the right of the biological parent to access mental health services
without having to give up custody to a PCSA.
Provisions have already been put in place in the ABC Initiative passed
in HB 66 signed by the Governor on |
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SB
116
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Introduced to
House: This bill prohibits, subject to
certain exceptions, discrimination in group care policies, contracts, and
agreements in the coverage provided for the diagnosis, care, and treatment of
biologically based mental illness. PCSAO
supports this legislation that would prevent insurance companies from
discriminating against biologically based mental illnesses. Under the proposed Mental Health Parity
legislation, health insurance coverage for severe mental illnesses would not
cost the consumer more than coverage for other medical services. On |
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SB
137
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Introduced to Senate: The original
bill increased the penalty for a failure to report abuse or neglect of a
child from a misdemeanor of the fourth degree to a misdemeanor of the first
degree. PCSAO
supports the original version of this bill that raised the penalty for
failure to report abuse or neglect of a child from a misdemeanor of the 4th
degree to a misdemeanor of the 1st degree. The sub-bill proposes the increased penalty
only for mandatory reporters when a child is under their direct care or
supervision. |
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SB
143
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Introduced to
Senate: Provisions of
SB 143 were included in the States Bi-Annual Budget, HB 66, which include
imposing contract, record- keeping, auditing, and other requirements on
persons that receive money from governmental entities for the provision of
certain services, to provide civil remedies for the misuse of that and other
public money, and to create the Government Contracting Advisory Council. |