View Daily Data Tracking History
View Bill Text
View Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact
SCR124................................................by HEALTH AND WELFARE PARENTS - ADOPTIVE/FOSTER - Stating that the Idaho Legislature opts to direct the Department of Health and Welfare to continue to conduct criminal history checks on adoptive or foster parents in a manner consistent with Idaho law in preference to adopting the procedure of the "Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997." 02/12 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing 02/13 Rpt prt - to 10th Ord 02/16 10th ord - ADOPTED, voice vote Title apvd - to House 02/17 House intro - 1st rdg - to Health/Wel 03/11 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg 03/12 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg 03/13 3rd rdg - ADOPTED - voice vote - to Senate 03/16 To enrol 03/17 Rpt enrol - Pres signed 03/18 Sp signed 03/19 To Secretary of State
SCR124|||| LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO |||| Fifty-fourth Legislature Second Regular Session - 1998IN THE SENATE SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 124 BY HEALTH AND WELFARE COMMITTEE 1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 2 STATING FINDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE THAT THE IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 3 WELFARE SHALL CONDUCT CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECKS CONSISTENT WITH EXISTING 4 IDAHO CODE AND PROMULGATED RULES. 5 Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho: 6 WHEREAS, the safety, health and well-being of children is of paramount 7 concern to Idahoans; and 8 WHEREAS, children placed in foster care or for adoption through the 9 Department of Health and Welfare should have caretakers who do not pose a risk 10 of harm to them; and 11 WHEREAS, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has had promulgated 12 rules and has conducted criminal history background checks of all foster and 13 adoptive parents since 1987; and 14 WHEREAS, these rules have been reviewed and approved by the Legislature 15 and have appropriately identified individuals who present risks based on prior 16 criminal convictions; and 17 WHEREAS, the Legislature finds the existing rules appropriate and that 18 federal law requirements will not reasonably assure greater safety for chil- 19 dren; and 20 WHEREAS, the Adoptions and Safe Families Act of 1997 gives states the 21 option of changing their criminal history background check procedures to be 22 consistent with those outlined in the Adoption and Safe Families Act or elect- 23 ing, by law, to make the federal requirements inapplicable to the state. 24 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses- 25 sion of the Fifty-fourth Idaho Legislature, the Senate and the House of Repre- 26 sentatives concurring therein, that the State of Idaho is electing to make the 27 federal requirements for criminal history background checks not applicable to 28 the state and to continue conducting criminal history background checks under 29 the existing law and rule, subject to amendment as may be determined appropri- 30 ate.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE RS 07931 The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 provided that states may adopt the criminal history background check requirements set forth in this Act or they may elect, by law, not adopt these requirements. Current promulgated rules have provided appropriate procedures to assure that foster and adoptive parents do not pose a risk to children based on their prior criminal convictions. This concurrent resolution states that Idaho will elect not to adopt the federal requirements for criminal history background checks for foster and adoptive parents as set forth in the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997. FISCAL NOTE This bill will not have a fiscal impact on federal, state or local funds in Idaho. CONTACT: Rosanne Hardin, Department of Health & Welfare 334-5680 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE Bill No SCR 124