HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 2SHB 1432

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to modification of the adoption support reconsideration program.

Brief Description:  Modifying the adoption support reconsideration program.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by  Representatives Cooke, Tokuda, Kastama and Dickerson; by request of Department of Social and Health Services).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Children & Family Services:  2/6/97, 2/7/97 [DPS];

Appropriations:  2/26/97, 3/8/97 [DP2S(w/o sub CFS)].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  3/14/97, 94‑0.

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Cooke, Chairman; Boldt, Vice Chairman; Bush, Vice Chairman; Tokuda, Ranking Minority Member; Kastama, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Ballasiotes; Carrell; Dickerson; Gombosky; McDonald and Wolfe.

Staff:  David Knutson (786-7146).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report:  The second substitute bill be substituted therefor and the second substitute bill do pass and do not pass the substitute bill by Committee on Children & Family Services.  Signed by 31 members:  Representatives Huff, Chairman; Alexander, Vice Chairman; Clements, Vice Chairman; Wensman, Vice Chairman; H. Sommers, Ranking Minority Member; Doumit, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Gombosky, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Benson; Carlson; Chopp; Cody; Cooke; Crouse; Dyer; Grant; Keiser; Kenney; Kessler; Lambert; Linville; Lisk; Mastin; McMorris; Parlette; Poulsen; Regala; D. Schmidt; Sehlin; Sheahan; Talcott and Tokuda.

Staff:  Jason Hall (786-7145).

Background:  The Department of Social and Health Services provides post-adoption support through the adoption reconsideration program to individuals who adopt children.  The program provides medical and counseling services for adopted children who lived in foster care and had a physical or mental handicap at the time of their adoption.

Summary of Bill:  The adoption reconsideration program will also cover adopted children who were at high risk of future physical or mental handicap or emotional disturbance as a result of prior exposure.  Children in pre-adoption placements funded by the DSHS are also eligible for the adoption reconsideration program.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  (Children & Family Services)  Some disabling conditions do not manifest themselves for several years after adoptions are finalized.  Adoptive parents who care for disabled children should also receive assistance under the adoption reconsideration program.

(Appropriations)  This legislation will provide services to families who do the right thing by adopting children to permanent homes.  Right now, parents who adopt a child immediately can=t seek services through the Department of Social and Health Services after the adoption.  If only the parents would allow the child to go into foster care before adoption, they could seek services for special needs kids.  This is a bad incentive and needs to stop.

Testimony Against:  (Children & Family Services)  None.

(Appropriations)  None.

Testified:  (Children & Family Services)  Jennifer Strus, Department of Social and Health Services (pro); Vicky McKinney, parent (pro); Jocie DeVries, parent (pro); Rae Lea Newman, parent (pro); and Gloria Fawcett, parent (pro).

(Appropriations)  Representative Suzette Cooke, prime sponsor; Jennifer Strus, Department of Social Health Services; and Laurie Lippold, Children=s Home Society.