An Act relating to foster parents; relating to the right of foster parents to have notice of, and testify at, delinquency hearings and to the disclosure of minors' records to foster parents; and amending Rules 3, 7, 10, 12, 15, 21, 23, and 25, Alaska Delinquency Rules.

Updated: March 7, 1999

Foster parents often are an inordinately valuable resource to the State of Alaska case workers and judges in respect to the condition and best interests of a foster child in state custody. This bill requires that foster parents be allowed to be present and have a voice at all proceedings dealing with the disposition and treatment of the child.

Because these foster parents live with the child continually, and are often very experienced at dealing with troubled children, most foster parents are an excellent resource for the overworked case workers and the busy judges who must make important decisions concerning children with very little information.

Last year, we introduced HB 456 which gave the right of foster parents to have notice of, and testify at, child-in-need-of-aid (CINA) and delinquency hearings and to the disclosure of minors' records to foster parents. In addition, HB 375, the Child Protection Bill which predominately focused on CINA proceedings, was introduced. Due to its subject, we were able to incorporate half of HB 456 into HB 375.

Now law, HB 375 gives foster parents a right to be heard in CINA court proceedings, but not in delinquency hearings. HB 177 will essentially achieve my original intent and will allow foster parents a voice in court and information without regard to the process in which their foster children are involved.