JEFFERSON CITY — As a leading advocate for children in the Missouri General Assembly, Senate Minority Floor Leader Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City, applauds the governor’s recent action on signing various measures passed by the Legislature designed to protect Missouri’s children and provide working families with quality childcare.
Senate Bill 869 and House Bill 1831 contain language sponsored by Sen. Justus this year that adds new requirements for state-funded child care businesses and ensures Missouri will continue to receive critical federal childcare assistance for working families. Her legislation (Senate Bill 720), now part of SB 869 and HB 1831, establishes increased childcare provider training requirements, as well as building and physical premises requirements. The bill requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) to create a website that lists provider-specific information about health and licensing requirements, inspections and history of violations and compliance actions. In addition, it establishes a DSS hotline for parents to submit provider complaints, and with the assistance of child care businesses and parents, advocates, and DSS, creates a transparent system of quality indicators to provide parents with a way to set apart child care businesses in the community. The measure also suspends or redirects certain adoption subsidy payments when an adoptive child is made a ward of the court and is removed from the physical or legal custody of his or her parents due to abuse or neglect.
Legislation that contains another bill (Senate Bill 805) sponsored by Sen. Justus permitting those 16 and older in the foster care system to contract for car insurance also received the governor’s signature. House Bill 1092 also changes provisions relating to foster children and child abuse and neglect investigations, including requiring the Joint Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect to make recommendations on how to improve abuse and neglect proceedings. In addition, the measure allows the Office of the Child Advocate to intervene on behalf of a child in the judicial system and changes timeframes regarding a child abuse or neglect investigation, allowing those who are responsible for carrying out these cases to do what the state is requiring them to do as set out in statute.
“These important measures ensure that quality affordable childcare is available to all working families in Missouri and provide crucial improvements to our foster care system” said Sen. Justus. “Missouri’s children are our state’s most vulnerable assets and it is vital that we provide childcare workers, those in the foster care system and Missouri families with the tools necessary to protect our future generations.”
To see a complete list of Sen. Justus’ filed legislation for 2014, visit www.senate.mo.gov/justus. |
