State Representative Dorothy Pelanda (R-Marysville) Tuesady applauded Governor Kasich’s signing of two bills, House Bill 213 and House Bill 309, both of which she sponsored.
House Bill 213 revises Ohio law pertaining to child custody, guardians ad litem, and foster caregivers, to ensure that minors who are involved with Ohio’s children services agencies are treated just like every child in the state of Ohio.
Specifically, Pelanda said that House Bill 213:
- Mandates training requirements and content of reports for court-appointed guardians who are in powerful positions to steer the foster child’s future;
- Allows foster parents and foster children to participate in court hearings and to express their opinions about a return to the biological family;
- Permits foster children to participate in normal childhood activities, such as spending the night with a friend, by clarifying that state agencies are not liable for those events;
- Creates a medical registry enabling pediatricians who treat foster children to have access to the child’s medical records.
In addition, House Bill 309 prohibits any court or local or state government entity from charging a fee for an order of protection. The bill specifically addresses that no fee or cost shall be charged for the modification, enforcement, dismissal, or withdrawal of a domestic violence, anti-stalking, sexually oriented offense, or other type of protection order or consent agreement.
Both initiatives received unanimous support from the legislature and were officially signed into law Tuesday.
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