The Fostering Connections Resource Center gratefully acknowledges the National Conference of State Legislatures for sharing its tracking information about pending and enacted legislation. Please visit NCSL for additional information.
Enacted Legislation in Michigan
Guardianship Assistance Act
Bill: SB 227, Public Act 15; Status: Enacted
Summary: Creates the Guardianship Assistance Act to provide a negotiated, binding agreement for financial support for children who meet the qualifications for guardianship assistance. Sets eligibility of child and guardian. Specifies that only a relative who is a licensed foster parent caring for a child who is eligible to receive Title IV-E funded foster care payments for 6 consecutive months is eligible for federal funding under Title IV-E for guardianship assistance. States that a child not eligible for Title IV-E funding who is placed with a relative is eligible for state-funded guardianship-assistance.
Sponsored by Senators Clark-Coleman, Jansen, Pappageorge, Birkholz, Switalski, Gleason, Hunter, Anderson, Whitmer, Jacobs, Basham, Cherry, Olshove, Scott, Thomas, Prusi, Brater, Clarke, and Allen
Guardianship Assistance Program
Bill: SR 27; Status: Enacted
Summary: Urges Congress to take certain actions with regard to the federal guardianship assistance program by revising the funding to allow the six-month residency requirement to begin to run prior to licensing of the home, provided that both the home is licensed and the residency requirement is met before federal funding begins.
Sponsored by Senator Clark-Coleman
Adoption Subsidy
Bill: HB 4159; Status: Enacted
Summary: Modifies the adoption support subsidy to include that the department may pay a support subsidy to an adoptive parent if specific requirements are met including that the adoptee is a child with special needs. Determines that the maximum amount of the subsidy shall be equal to the rate that the child received in the family foster care placement or the rate the child would have received if they had been in a family foster care placement. If adoption assistance is to be paid, the department and the adoptive parent or parents shall enter into an adoption assistance agreement. Provides for extension of the agreement for an adoptee under 21 if certain requirements are met including that the adoptee has not completed high school or a GED program and the adoptee is regularly attending high school or a program for children with disabilities on a full-time basis and is progressing toward achieving a high school diploma, certificate of completion, or GED.
Sponsored by Representative Smith
Pending Legislation in Michigan
There is no pending legislation for Michigan.
