HCSHBs737&486--PROTECTIONOFCHILDREN
SPONSOR: Schmidt
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonChildrenandFamiliesbyavoteof14to0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
737.
MONEYSHELDBYCHILDREN'SDIVISIONFORACHILDORYOUTH(Section
210.560)
Thisbillspecifiesthatinthecaseofbenefitsadministeredby
theRailroadRetirementBoard,theSocialSecurityAdministration,
ortheVeteransAdministration, theChildren'sDivisionisrequired
todeterminewhetherachildoryouthincustodyoftheDivisionis
receivingorotherwiseeligibletoreceivesuchbenefitswithin60
daysafterplacementintocustody.
TheDivisionistoapplyforbenefitsonbehalfofthechildor
youth,ifsuchchildoryouthisdeemedtobeeligible. If
benefitsarealreadybeingreceivedbeforeplacementintothe
Division'scustodyortheDivisionappliesforbenefitsonbehalf
ofthechild,theDivisionisresponsibleforidentifyinga
representative payeeandmustapplytobecomesuchifnoother
suitablecandidateisavailable.
AnymoneysreceivedbytheDivisionandintheaccountofachild
oryouthareprohibitedfrombeingexpendedbytheDivisionfor
certainservicesorcare.However,thisbillprovidesthatthe
DivisionmayusethebenefitsadministeredbytheRailroad
RetirementBoard,theSocialSecurityAdministration, orthe
VeteransAdministration forthechild'soryouth'sunmetneeds,as
aredefinedinthebill,beyondwhattheDivisionisrequiredor
agreestopay.
ThebilladditionallygrantstheDepartmentofSocialServicesthe
abilitytoenterintocontractstoapplyforbenefitsonbehalfof
achildoryouthandtoestablishaccountsonbehalfofthechild
oryouth.
PLACEMENTOFACHILD(Section211.221)
Currently,whenplacingachildinthecustodyofanindividualor
aprivateagencyorinstitution,thecourtmust,whenever
practicable,selecteitheraperson,oranagencyorinstitution
governedbypersonsofthesamereligiousfaithasthatofthe
parentsofthechild,orincaseofadifferenceinthereligious faithoftheparents,thenofthereligiousfaithofthechildor
ifthereligiousfaithofthechildisnotascertainable, thenof
thefaithofeitheroftheparents. Thisbillrequiresthe
Children'sDivision,withintheDepartmentofSocialServices,or
anychild-placingagencycontractingwiththeStatetoprovide
fostercareservicestofollowthesameprocedure.
ABUSEORNEGLECTOFACHILD(Section210.110,568.060,and578.421)
Asspecifiedinthisbill,apersondoesnotcommittheoffenseof
abuseorneglectofachildbyvirtueofthesolefactthatthe
personallowsthechildtoengageinindependentactivitieswithout
adultsupervision,andthatthepersonisaparentorguardianto
thechild,providedthat:
(1)Independentactivitiesareappropriatebasedonthechild's
age,maturity,andphysicalandmentalabilities;and
(2)Thelackofadultsupervisiondoesnotconstituteconductthat
issogrosslynegligentastoendangerthechild'shealthor
safety.
Asdefinedinthebill,"independentactivities"includetraveling
toorfromschoolornearbylocations,eitherbybicycleoron
foot;playingoutdoors;orremainingathomeforareasonable
periodoftimewithoutadultsupervision.
Thisbillalsomodifiestheterm"neglect"toprovidethatitis
notneglectfulforapersontoallowachildtoengagein
independentactivitieswithoutadultsupervision,providedthat
suchactivitiesareappropriate,basedonthechild'sage,
maturity,andphysicalandmentalcapabilities,andthatthelack
ofadultsupervisiondoesnotconstitutenegligentconduct.
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatseveralotherstateshave
introducedthislegislationandthatthestatehasanobligationto
beagoodstewardtothechildrenthatareentrustedinitscarein
thefostersystem.Itisestimatedthatbetween10-20%ofchildren
infostercareareeligibleforthesetypesofbenefitsandkeeping
moneyintheirnamecanhelptosetthemupforsuccessastheyage
outofthefostersystem. TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Schmidt;Kids
WinMissouri;CenterForRightsofAbusedChildren;MoCoalition
ForChildren;FosterAdoptConnect;ArnieDienoff;andJasonWhite.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.