46-3901. Joint committee on child welfare system oversight; powers and duties; membership; appointment; quorum; meetings; compensation; professional services; legislation. (a) There is hereby established the joint committee on child welfare system oversight. The joint committee shall review:

(1) Data on child maltreatment and demographic trends impacting the child welfare system;

(2) the duties, responsibilities and contributions of the Kansas department for children and families, the Kansas department for aging and disability services, the department of health and environment, the department of corrections, law enforcement and the judicial branch that comprise and impact the child welfare system;

(3) the programs, services and benefits offered directly or through grants or contracts by the Kansas department for children and families, the Kansas department for aging and disability services, the department of health and environment and the judicial branch that impact children and families at risk of becoming involved or who are involved in the child welfare system, including:

(A) Child maltreatment prevention;

(B) investigations of child maltreatment;

(C) in-home family services, including services offered through federal prevention and family preservation funding; and

(D) foster care, reintegration and adoption services;

(4) trends, performance outcomes, activities and improvement plans related to the federal child and family services reviews;

(5) reports from child welfare-related groups, including, but not limited to, citizen review panels, the Kansas supreme court permanency planning task force, the Kansas children's cabinet and any interim study committees or work groups authorized by the Kansas legislature;

(6) implementation of the 2019 child welfare system task force report recommendations, including top-tier recommendations related to the child welfare workforce, data technology, access to behavioral healthcare for high-risk youth and implementation of the federal family first prevention services act;

(7) reports on concerns received from the Kansas department for children and families child welfare ombudsman or customer service department or similar office;

(8) opportunities for Kansas to strengthen the child welfare system through evidence-based interventions and services for children and families;

(9) data and trends on family foster home licenses issued pursuant to K.S.A. 65-516(b), and amendments thereto;

(10) the exception to state child death review board confidentiality for city or county entities with the express purpose of providing local review of child deaths pursuant to K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 22a-243, and amendments thereto; and

(11) any other topic the joint committee deems appropriate.

(b) The joint committee shall consist of 13 members of the legislature appointed as follows:

(1) Two members of the house of representatives standing committee on children and seniors appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

(2) one member of the house of representatives standing committee on children and seniors appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives;

(3) two members of the senate standing committee on public health and welfare appointed by the president of the senate;

(4) one member of the senate standing committee on public health and welfare appointed by the minority leader of the senate;

(5) two members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

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

(7) two members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate;

(8) one member of the senate appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and

(9) one member of the house of representatives appointed by the majority leader of the house of representatives.

(c) Members shall be appointed for terms coinciding with the legislative terms for which such members are elected or appointed. All members appointed to fill vacancies in the membership of the joint committee and all members appointed to succeed members appointed to the membership on the joint committee shall be appointed in the manner provided for the original appointment of the member succeeded.

(d) (1) Within 30 days of the effective date of this section, the first chairperson of the joint committee shall be appointed by the president of the senate from among the members of the joint committee appointed by the president of the senate. The chairperson and vice-chairperson of the joint committee shall alternate annually between the members appointed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives.

(2) The speaker of the house of representatives shall designate a representative member to be the chairperson or the vice-chairperson of the joint committee as provided in this section. The president of the senate shall designate a senator member to be the chairperson or the vice-chairperson of the joint committee as provided in this section. The ranking minority member shall be from the same chamber as the chairperson. The minority leader of the senate shall designate a senator member to [the]* the ranking minority member of the joint committee as provided in this section. The minority leader of the house of representatives shall designate a representative member to be the ranking minority member of the joint committee as provided in this section.

(e) The members originally appointed as members of the joint committee shall meet upon the call of the chairperson on or after January 1, 2021. Thereafter, the joint committee shall meet at least once during each of the first and second calendar quarters when the legislature is in regular session and at least once during each of the third and fourth calendar quarters, on the call of the chairperson, but not to exceed six meetings in a calendar year.

(f) Seven members of the joint committee shall constitute a quorum.

(g) At the beginning of each regular session of the legislature, the joint committee shall submit to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the house standing committee on children and seniors and the senate standing committee on public health and welfare a written report that shall include recommended changes to current laws, rules and regulations and policies regarding the safety and well-being of children in the child welfare system in the state of Kansas.

(h) Members of the joint committee shall be paid compensation, amounts for travel expenses and subsistence expenses or allowances as provided in K.S.A. 75-3212, and amendments thereto, for attendance at any meeting of the joint committee or any subcommittee meeting authorized by the committee.

(i) In accordance with K.S.A. 46-1204, and amendments thereto, the legislative coordinating council may provide for such professional services as may be requested by the joint committee.

(j) The joint committee may make recommendations and introduce legislation as it deems necessary in performing its functions.

History: L. 2021, ch. 111, § 1; June 3.