MI: Update on Senate Hearing on the Kinship Care - Relative Placement Bill

 

Citizens For Parental Rights PO Box 334 Dorr, MI 49323   9-9-10   Hello Friends of Citizens for Parental Rights,   Two carloads of us attended the MI Senate Family and Human Services Committee hearing on Tuesday, Sept 7th. The main interest was House Bill 4118 requiring that when children are placed in foster care, relatives must be given first consideration. If the relatives are fit and willing the children must be placed with them. Eight of us testified before the Committee. Some spoke of their personal experience with having their children unjustly taken by Child Protective Services or it sub-contractors. Others spoke on the specific  strengths and weaknesses of the Bill. One weakness pointed out by several is the language in the bill stating "unless it is not in the best interest of the child". One person called this a loophole big enough to drive a truck through, since it is interpreted by a thousand different judges and social workers across the state. Committee members agreed to hear more on this another time.   The primary sponsor, Rep Gino Polidori, addressed the Committee early in the hearing. The Amer family of southeast Michigan told of their tragic experience, including the death of their child, being wrongly charged for murder, and having their other children taken improperly by CPS, followed by the children growing up in a home with a different religious faith. Binta Bah told of her trek, walking with her children across several countries in Africa to escape the war there, then coming to the U.S. only to lose her children, after improper charges of neglect, to Bethany Christian Services, a subcontractor for CPS. Several officials from the Department of Human Services were present, also supporting the bill. The Senators asked several tough questions of one DHS official.   This bill has been introduced in previous years in the Legislature. In this session it passed the House by a vote of 109-0, then sat in the Senate Committee for 17 months without action. A big thank you goes out to Judith Faye, Sally Borghese, and others, but especially to the Amer's for their persistence in urging the Senate Committee to act on the Bill. Thanks also to the Committee members who listened so patiently and voted to recommend passage of the bill. Before becoming law, it must go to the full Senate for a vote, and must then be signed by the Governor. If you would like to help, please call the office of Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (517-373-2694) asking him to schedule a vote as soon as possible on HB 4118.     John Tuinstra, President Citizens For Parental Rights 616-681-5635   P.S. Please forward this e-mail to others interested in protecting families in Michigan.