Dear [Your Elected Official],

<p>HB2169 is on the House floor on April 1. <strong>Please, vote NO on this bill</strong>.</p> <p>This bill will conflict with proposed federal regulations that were posted on September 28, 2023 that could go into effect any day. The proposed rule is called "Safe and Appropriate Foster Care Placement Requirements for Titles IV-E and IV-B." The summary notes the following: </p> <p>"To ensure agencies meet these and other related statutory requirements, ACF proposes to specify the steps agencies must take when implementing the case plan and case review requirements for children in foster care who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, as well as children who are non-binary, or have non-conforming gender identity or expression (all of whom are referred to under the umbrella term LGBTQI+ for purposes of this regulation)."</p> <p><em><strong>Compliance with this rule will be monitored and enforcement actions can include penalties for states</strong></em>.  From the proposed rule text:</p> <p>"If ACF becomes aware of a potential non-compliance issue with § 1355.22, it will initiate the partial review process. Evidence of non-conformity identified through the partial review process may result in the state/tribal title IV–E/IV–B agency entering into a program improvement plan. The program improvement plan will be developed on a case-by-case basis by ACF and the agency will consider the extent of noncompliance. If the title IV–E/IV–B agency remains out of compliance, the agency will be subject to a penalty related to the extent of the noncompliance."</p> <p>Adoption and foster care policy should be based on the best interest of the child. This bill focuses on the wishes of a few adults. It increases the likelihood that children will be mismatched with homes where they are not accepted as they are. The sponsor is incorrect that it will result in better placements; it increases the pool of prospective parents who may not be accepting of every child. The placement of children should not be politicized, but pursued thoughtfully.</p> <p>According to the federal government's Youth.gov website, "LGBTQ+ youth are overrepresented in child welfare systems, even though they are likely to be underreported because they risk harassment and abuse if their LGBTQ+ identity is disclosed. Studies have found that about 30 percent of youth in foster care identify as LGBTQ+ and 5 percent as transgender, in comparison to 11 percent and 1 percent of youth not in foster care."</p> <p>We need to get their placements right, not place them with unaccepting homes from which they might run away. Please, do the right thing and vote NO.</p> <p>Thank you for considering my views.</p>