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HB 7 Adoption (Brinkman, T)
HB 7 is an indication of the importance the House placed on reducing
barriers to adoptions in our state. Representative Brinkman has met
with stakeholders including PCSAO, Adopt Cuyahoga's Kids, the Dave
Thomas Foundation, the National Center for Adoption Law and Policy,
One Church One Child and ODJFS and other Republican and Democratic
Legislators. PCSAO welcomes this opportunity to work with the
sponsor, our members and stakeholders to address issues like:
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Strengthening child’s right to own history
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Permanency for children
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Promote adoption as a positive option
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Streamline adoption process and procedures
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HB 119 Biennial Budget
(Dolan, M)
The
2008-2009 Budget is making its way through the legislative process after
being released by the Governor and introduced in the House.
PCSAO
celebrates the initiatives in Governor Strickland’s biennial budget
proposal that will directly and indirectly impact our mission for safe
children, stable families and supportive communities. The
proposals are in keeping with the PCSAO Strategic Plan.
We will
provide updated Budget Summaries, comparing any changes from the as
introduced version by the House, Senate and Conference Committee.
Please
join us in support of the proposals in the budget by contacting the
Governor to express our appreciation and your legislators asking them
for their support as the budget bill makes its way through the
legislative process. We will continue to work on identifying funds
for Research, COA activities, and restoring cuts to MH and DADAS.
Link to
HB 119:
http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_HB_119
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HB 209 Sexual Battery by Peace Officers (Core, T.)
This
bill adds law enforcement to the list of individuals (which
currently includes teachers, coaches, scout troop leaders,
counselors and psychologists / psychiatrists, members of the clergy,
and others) who would be committing sexual battery, a felony of the
third degree, if they have sexual contact with minors. Under
current law, if someone is a coach (meaning they wear a whistle
around their neck) and commits these acts they’re guilty of a
felony. But if they wear a badge and commit the same acts, they’re
only guilty of a misdemeanor. Responding to a specific incident in
Logan County, PCSAO Trustees unanimously support this bill and
protecting children from abuse by closing this loophole in the law.
Link to HB 209:
http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_HB_209
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SB 144 Shaken Baby (Stivers,
S)
SB 144 requires the Ohio Department of Health to develop Shaken Baby
Syndrome (SBS) prevention materials for mothers of newborns; requires
SACWIS to capture cases of SBS and annually ODJFS would report this over
to ODH. PCSAO commends Senator Stivers for his leadership on this bill
and lauds the foresight to ensure SACWIS was designed and developed with
the ability to track cases of Shaken Baby. SB 144 moves Ohio forward in
the fight against child abuse; SB 144 is all about preventing child
abuse. PCSAO supports SB 144.
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SB 163 / HB 213 Oversight & Safeguards (Niehaus, T., / Combs, C.)
SB 163
and HB 213 are companion bills that are part of a foster care reform
package of legislation making its way through the Senate and House.
PCSAO extends our appreciation to Senator Niehaus and his colleagues
Senator Cates and Representatives Wagner and Combs for all of their
leadership on a deliberate and productive approach that included
many stakeholders, not the least of which were foster youth and
parents, all interested in improving the foster care system in
Ohio. PCSAO strongly supports both bills as they will improve
safeguards where there are gaps – ensuring we
recruit good people;
while also initiating proactive reforms that
support these good people to be
great foster parents!
Press Conference
Group Photo
on the steps of the Statehouse. Pictured here at
the podium is Arlene Jones, former foster youth and Media
Spokesperson for the O.H.I.O. Youth Advisory Board as she offers
remarks praising legislators for their work to improve the
foster care system through SB164/HB214 and SB 163/HB213. Those
speaking at the event also included Senator Tom Niehaus, Rep.
Jeff Wagner, Senator Cates, ODJFS Director Helen Jones Kelley,
and Chrissy Staggs (foster parent). They are surrounded by
supporters of the bill which include foster youth from Franklin
and Fairfield Counties, PCSAO, OACCA, and ODJFS.
Link to
SB 163:
http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_SB_163
Link to
HB 213:
http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_HB_213
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SB 164 / HB 214 Training & Services (Cates, G. / Wagner, J.)
SB 164
and HB 214 are companion bills that are part of a foster care reform
package of legislation making its way through the Senate and House.
PCSAO extends our appreciation to Senator Niehaus and his colleagues
Senator Cates and Representatives Wagner and Combs for all of their
leadership on a deliberate and productive approach that included
many stakeholders, not the least of which were foster youth and
parents, all interested in improving the foster care system in
Ohio. PCSAO strongly supports both bills as they will improve
safeguards where there are gaps – ensuring we
recruit good people;
while also initiating proactive reforms that
support these good people to be
great foster parents!
Press
Conference
Group Photo
on the steps of the Statehouse. Pictured here at the
podium is Arlene Jones, former foster youth and Media Spokesperson
for the O.H.I.O. Youth Advisory Board as she offers remarks praising
legislators for their work to improve the foster care system through
SB164/HB214 and SB 163/HB213. Those speaking at the event also
included Senator Tom Niehaus, Rep. Jeff Wagner, Senator Cates, ODJFS
Director Helen Jones Kelley, and Chrissy Staggs (foster parent).
They are surrounded by supporters of the bill which include foster
youth from Franklin and Fairfield Counties, PCSAO, OACCA, and
ODJFS.
Link to
SB 164:
http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_SB_164
Link to
HB 214:
http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_HB_214
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SB 304 Safe Havens (Cates,
G)
SB 304
increases the number of days after birth, from three days to thirty
days that a parent has to voluntarily deliver their unharmed baby to
a safe haven. With the goal of safe haven laws to provide an
alternative to abandoning a baby in ways that increase risk of harm
and may result in death, PCSAO supports this bill. All fifty states
have Safe Haven Laws with the most common ages, for delivering a
child to a safe haven, set as three days and thirty days.
Thirty-four states allow parents to deliver a child who is more than
three days old. PCSAO appreciates Sen. Cates’ leadership on this
bill and working with us to include language in the bill for Ohio to
develop a plan for informing at risk populations most likely to
deliver a child to a safe haven; such a plan will be developed
through collaboration between ODJFS and the Ohio Family and Children
First Cabinet Council.
PCSAO
Testimony SB 304
Link to
SB 304:
http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_SB_304
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