The proposed bill seeks to update current statutes regarding kinship foster care placements by expanding the definition of eligible caregivers to include extended family members, such as grandparents or adults with a biological connection to the child. It mandates that these individuals be included in all investigations and proceedings related to kinship placements and requires the Department of Child Safety (DCS) to file reports with the court every 30 days on their efforts to locate such placements. Additionally, the bill modifies existing rights of foster children to ensure they have the right to be placed with a kinship caregiver when it is in their best interest and requires the court to order such placements within 48 hours of an initial dependency hearing if appropriate. Moreover, the bill introduces technical and conforming changes to existing statutes, replacing terms like "relative" and "foster care" with broader language that encompasses extended family members. It emphasizes the priority of placing children with relatives or extended family members unless safety risks are present and mandates thorough searches by DCS for these individuals when a child is taken into custody. The overall aim of these updates is to strengthen family connections and improve the welfare of children in the foster care system by ensuring that placements with extended family members are prioritized and supported.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 8-501, 8-514.03, 8-514.07, 8-529, 8-801, 8-824, 8-842, 8-509, 36-593.01, 8-821, 8-806, 8-521.01, 41-1750, 92-544, 13-705, 8-548, 8-521.02, 41-1376, 8-845, 8-823, 8-481, 8-841
House Engrossed Version: 8-501, 8-514.03, 8-514.07, 8-529, 8-801, 8-824, 8-842, 8-509, 36-593.01, 8-821, 8-806, 8-521.01, 41-1750, 92-544, 13-705, 8-548, 8-521.02, 41-1376, 8-845, 8-823, 8-481, 8-841
Senate Engrossed Version: 8-501, 8-514.03, 8-514.07, 8-529, 8-801, 8-824, 8-842, 8-509, 36-593.01, 8-821, 8-806, 8-521.01, 41-1750, 92-544, 8-548, 8-521.02, 41-1376, 8-845, 8-823, 8-481, 8-841