The proposed bill, SB1387, amends the existing law regarding kinship foster care stipends provided by the Department of Child Safety (DCS). Under the current law, kinship foster care parents receive a stipend of $300 per month for each child placed with them, which was established as ongoing funding. The new bill specifies a structured increase in the stipend over the next few years, starting with $300 per month effective January 1, 2025, and increasing by $100 each subsequent year until it reaches $600 per month by January 1, 2028.

In summary, the key difference between the current law and the new bill is the introduction of a tiered stipend increase schedule, which will provide kinship foster care parents with progressively higher monthly payments for each child placed in their care. This change aims to better support kinship foster care families financially over the next few years.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 8-514.03