FRANKFORT, Ky. — Senate Bill 151, also known as the Kinship Bill, was passed by the General Assembly, signed by Governor Andy Beshear, and supposed to take effect by mid-July.
The legislation aimed to give children who were removed from their parent's home the opportunity to provide their own list of potential caregivers to a court. It also gives potential caregivers time to ensure they are financially able to raise the child looking to be under their care.
SB 151 has been stuck in limbo due to funding issues between the governor's cabinet and the lawmakers.
In Tuesday's Joint Committee on Family and Children meeting, lawmakers heard from the Cabinet of Health and Family services on how they plan to implement the bill.
Tensions were high as Eric Friedlander, the secretary of the cabinet, said they still need additional funding from the legislators to move forward. The committee disagreed, stating that the Cabinet was supposed to enact the bill without additional funding from the budget.
"We don't have a policy issue, we have a funding issue," said Friendlander. "We fully support the goals of (SB) 151 but we feel we must have money to implement."
But legislators disagreed as Senator Julie Raque Adams, the author of SB 151, said it's written in the bill that the executive branch is responsible for absorbing any costs and figuring out how the Cabinet can implement the benefits.
"The Cabinet has full authority and autonomy to design this program in the way that they need to with the available funds they have," Raque Adams said.
Lawmakers continued to press the cabinet about finding other sources of funds through the federal government.
The bill not being implemented is leaving families wondering if they will receive the additional time and help.
Norma Hatfield, a grandmother raising her two grandkids, has been speaking out about how beneficial this law can be to families across Kentucky. She first spoke in front of the committee with Raque Adams earlier this year when the senator drafted the bill. She spoke again Tuesday as she continues to worry about the fate of the bill.
"I see something really wrong with how services are being offered," Hatfield said. "It affects the kids in the long run. Those services were intended for them and that's what needs to be changed. You feel voiceless, you feel powerless, you feel like you have absolutely no control on what is about to happen to you."
That frustration is also felt through organizations focused on children. The Kentucky Youth Advocates executive director Dr. Terry Brooks released a statement after watching the meeting.
“We along with the Kinship Families Coalition of Kentucky and thousands of kinship families across the Commonwealth are left shaking our heads in disappointment at the ongoing disagreement between the Governor’s Administration and the General Assembly," Brooks said. "We are left wondering, is this yet another letdown by our state leaders to prioritize and support our kids in kinship care? The Governor and General Assembly must rectify the hold ups on implementing SB 151 and not let kinship families yet again lose in financial disagreements. We do believe there is a path forward for implementation and are hopeful that the Cabinet for Health and Family Services will return with insight on the potential to use federal or state funds to proceed with implementation."
"This is funding we are talking about for kinship care," said David Meade, house representative of District 80. "These are political games played in the last four years and it infuriates me that he continues to play them right now with our most needy families."
The Cabinet said they’ve notified legislators about the need for funding before the end of general session. The committee asked if they’ve looked for other financial sources.
"We have inquired but have not found anything at this time for federal funding," Friedlander said.
Until this stalemate comes to a resolution the Kinship Bill along with others will not see action.
The Cabinet is expected to return in next month’s meeting with a more thorough plan on implementing these laws.
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