Latest News as of May 21, 2021

Alaska House of Representatives has passed two bills, House Bill 123 and House 184. House Bill 123 formally recognizes Alaska Native tribes. Representative Tiffany Zukosky is hopeful that expensing relationships with tries will advanced many shared values and the state recognition will make a relationship more possible. House Bill 184 also helps to strengthen the state’s relationship with tribes by cementing the Alaska Tribal Child Welfare Compact, to provide local child welfare programs on their behalf.

Biden administration is being urged by a group of senators to work with states, tribes, and territories to prioritize young people in the foster care system. The senators stressed the disparate outcomes faced by young people in foster care in the areas of educational attainment, employment rates, and earnings, and urged the administration to ensure that states take full advantage of existing flexibilities to mitigate these outcomes.

A Louisiana bill SB 143 has been advanced by the House Heal the and Welfare Committee that would require the Department of Children and Family Services to search for adult family members of children within 30 days. This bill would make family reunification a priority to put emphasis on identifying and finding family and kin.

Legislation update from Voice for Adoption advocacy can be found here.

Latest update from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation can be found here.