{"id":2398,"date":"2025-07-09T11:05:47","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T16:05:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/09\/missouri-governor-signs-bill-banning-state-from-seizing-foster-kids-benefits-2\/"},"modified":"2025-07-09T11:05:47","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T16:05:47","slug":"missouri-governor-signs-bill-banning-state-from-seizing-foster-kids-benefits-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/westplexnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/09\/missouri-governor-signs-bill-banning-state-from-seizing-foster-kids-benefits-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Missouri governor signs bill banning state from seizing foster kids\u2019 benefits"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Rep. Melissa Schmidt, R-Eldridge, speaks on the House floor in February about her foster benefits bill (Tim Bommel\/Missouri House Communications).<\/p>\n

After Aug. 28, Missouri will end the state\u2019s longstanding practice of seizing foster children\u2019s Social Security benefits to cover the cost of foster care.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gov. Mike Kehoe on Wednesday <\/span>signed a bill<\/span><\/a> that also bans child marriage and stop child sex abusers from using non-disclosure agreements to silence their victims. The bill was sponsored by Republican state Rep. Melissa Schmidt of Eldridge, and handled by Republican state Sen. Jamie Burger of Benton <\/span>in the upper chamber<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Missouri\u2019s child welfare agency takes millions of dollars each year in foster children\u2019s benefits and uses the money to help pay for foster care. In fiscal year 2024, the Children\u2019s Division spent more than $10.6 million recovered from children\u2019s benefits. Over 1,200 foster kids were receiving benefits in Missouri of late last year, or just over 10% of all kids in care.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a result, kids who are orphaned or have disabilities are responsible for paying toward the cost of their care in state custody.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The bill bars the state from using those benefits to pay itself back for routine foster care expenses. Instead, the division could use the funds for the child\u2019s \u201cunmet needs\u201d beyond what the division is obligated to pay, such as housing as the child prepares to age out of foster care.<\/span><\/p>\n

The effort to ban the practice won bipartisan support during the 2024 session and was on the verge of passing. But it <\/span>died when GOP infighting<\/span><\/a> forced the state Senate to adjourn early.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The foster benefits ban was the starting point for the bill, with other provisions, including the ban on child marriage added when it reached the state Senate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Other <\/span>provisions<\/span><\/a> include:<\/span><\/p>\n