Reform The Foster Care System

 

This bill aims to strengthen the protection of foster children while they are under the care of foster parents and make

more environments where children can rest easy knowing that they are safe while their original housing situation is

unstable.

 

Foster children are some of the most traumatized and scared individuals in the world and I believe that they deserve to

be safe. Foster parents who mistreat these children are disgusting and do not deserve to be trusted with vulnerable

children who are easily hurt. This bill will increase the money granted for foster care, randomize when CPS check in’s

occur, and add to the guidelines for what is acceptable in a foster home.

 

Foster Children: Any child who is placed in foster care

Foster Parent: Any adult who accepts foster child and the benefits that come with

Money Granted Increase: The money granted will be increased by 150%

Additional Quality of Life Standards: The Quality of Life Standards are as follows

The child must have a bedroom to themself.

The child must have access to transportation.

If the child has a source of income they must be allowed to access that freely i.e. if they have a job the money must go

to an account under the child's name and the child must have all the information to access it. Parents are allowed to

assist the child financially but may not make decisions entirely for the child.

The child must be given access to a phone with the numbers of their case worker, the police, and a teen help-line. This

phone may not be taken under any circumstances.

 

 

Funding for this bill will come from an 1% increase to the income tax for those making more than half a million dollars

a year in gross income, and a 2% increase to the income tax for those making more than a million dollars a year in gross

income.

 

Penalties and Enforcement: Those who do not meet the additional quality of life standards will have their foster child

taken. They will be allowed to reapply for 6 months if they show that their environment is capable of sustaining

children. If there are any signs or reports of abuse their foster child will be taken, and their license will be

suspended until after an investigation. If abuse is proven beyond reasonable doubt they will be punished as child

abusers and will never be allowed to foster in their lifetimes.

If a child reports and proves that they are not being provided any of the additional quality of life standards then they

will be relocated to another foster home once the claim is proven. Ex if a child shows that they can’t access their bank

account and haven’t been able to make any withdrawals then they will be relocated.

 

January 16th 2027