Committee advances bill to require counties to screen foster youth for SSI despite state and county cost concerns

The Senate Committee on Appropriations moved House Bill 1347 forward after an extended debate over the bill’s fiscal consequences. The bill would require counties to screen foster youth for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) eligibility and to assist eligible youths in applying.

Sponsors said many foster children are eligible for SSI but counties currently do not consistently apply, so the screening requirement would bring federal dollars into the system to help pay for foster care. Senator Paul said a third of foster children are eligible for SSI and that the change would ultimately bring in more federal funds than it costs.

Opponents cited the bill’s fiscal note and potential state matching obligations. Senator Kirkmeyer and others noted screening and application costs for counties and a one-time state systems update; one senator summarized that the state might face $2.2 million in general-fund costs in out years. Several senators said counties had been part of stakeholder discussions but that implementation would increase both county and state expenditures.

The committee adopted the bill and recorded a roll-call result shown in the transcript as 4–3 in favor.