SENATE HEALTH AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILL 305

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO FAMILIES; CREATING THE QUALITY FOSTER PARENT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION TASK FORCE; REQUIRING A FINAL REPORT.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. TEMPORARY PROVISION--QUALITY FOSTER PARENT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION TASK FORCE--CREATED--DUTIES--FINAL REPORT.--

          A. The "quality foster parent recruitment and retention task force" is created. The task force shall be convened and administered by the children, youth and families department. The task force consists of the following sixteen members:

                (1) one member appointed by the governor;

                (2) one member appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

                (3) one member appointed by the minority floor leader of the house of representatives;

                (4) one member appointed by the senate president pro tempore;

                (5) one member appointed by the minority floor leader of the senate;

                (6) one member appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court;

                (7) one member representing the Kevin S. settlement agreement;

                (8) one member representing service providers, appointed by the secretary of children, youth and families;

                (9) one member representing foster families, appointed by the secretary of children, youth and families;

                (10) one young person with lived experience who has aged out of the foster care system, appointed by the secretary of children, youth and families;

                (11) one member representing juvenile justice

stakeholders, appointed by the secretary of children, youth and families;

                (12) one member who is a tribal member with lived experience of the effects of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, the Indian Family Protection Act or other similar provisions of the Children's Code, appointed by the Indian affairs department;

                (13) one at-large representative, appointed by the secretary of children, youth and families;

                (14) one member who is a relative, a kinship caregiver or a licensed foster parent, appointed by the aging and long-term services department;

                (15) one member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or expansive community, appointed by the

children, youth and families department; and

                (16) one member from a rural county, appointed by the children, youth and families department.

          B. The task force shall be appointed by August 1, 2025 and complete its work by July 1, 2026.

          C. The task force shall collaborate with an institution of higher education to perform research that supports the task force.

          D. The task force shall conduct a bold experiment relating to the quality of foster parent recruitment and retention to fix the broken system and get the children out of offices.

          E. The task force shall study proven examples of successful models that work in other large rural states, including Utah Senate Bill 163 from 1998.

          F. The public members of the task force shall receive per diem and mileage pursuant to the Per Diem and Mileage Act.

          G. The task force shall submit its final report to the interim legislative health and human services committee, the interim legislative finance committee and the governor by July 1, 2026.

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