The Suburban Times

A community bulletin board for Western Pierce County.

  • Home
  • To Know
  • To Do
  • To Ponder
  • Obituaries
  • Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • More
    • Share your story
    • Submit an Event
    • Contact

O’Ban bill to provide foster kids with legal representation passes Senate

February 18, 2014 By The Suburban Times

Foster children in Washington can breathe a sigh of relief now that Senate Bill 6126 has passed the Senate 47-0. It’s the first of three major hurdles the measure must overcome before nearly 10,000 foster kids in Washington can begin to benefit from legal representation in court. The measure, sponsored by west Pierce County Sen. Steve O’Ban, must now face consideration by the House of Representatives and any potential veto by the governor.

“This was one of my top priorities coming into the 2014 legislative session, and I’m very glad to see it clear the Senate,” said O’Ban, a Republican who represents the 28th Legislative District. “This is a huge step forward for so many kids in Washington who feel forgotten by a system that delays placing them in permanent, loving homes.”

O’Ban says his bill is aimed at protecting the most vulnerable in Washington by requiring a court to appoint an attorney for a child in a dependency proceeding following termination of the parent-child relationship. A majority of states already require similar protections of a child’s legal rights, however Washington has no such law.

“My legislation gives these children, who are essentially orphans, their own voice,” O’Ban added. “With their own advocate, they should move out of the foster care system much more quickly and into adoptive homes.”

SB 6126 will be considered by the House of Representatives.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

Related

Top Stories

  • Permit filed to build new 51,000+ manufacturing facility in Lakewood
    Permit filed to build new 51,000+ manufacturing facility in Lakewood
  • Letter: Camping Ban Does Not Belong in Tacoma
    Letter: Camping Ban Does Not Belong in Tacoma
  • Help Create a Bright Future for Homestead Park
    Help Create a Bright Future for Homestead Park
  • Tacoma Mayor, City Manager release statement in response to Chauvin trial verdict
    Tacoma Mayor, City Manager release statement in response to Chauvin trial verdict
  • Let Clover Park Technical College Do the Cooking on May 14
    Let Clover Park Technical College Do the Cooking on May 14

Become a better informed citizen.

Join over 30,000 readers each month and get real-local news and information direct to your inbox, Monday-Saturday.


Recent Comments

  • Gail on 62nd Airlift Wing kicks off Rainier War
  • drsmythe on Tacoma Mayor, City Manager release statement in response to Chauvin trial verdict
  • Paul Nimmo on Letter: Camping Ban Does Not Belong in Tacoma
  • Joseph Boyle on Boyle’s Double Take: Moving
  • Erix Phfish on Letter: Camping Ban Does Not Belong in Tacoma

Contact Us

The Suburban Times
P.O. Box 39099
Lakewood, WA 98496

Ben Sclair, Publisher
253-312-1804

Stephen Neufeld, Marketing Executive
stephen@thesubtimes.com

Copyright © 2021 The Suburban Times • Log in • Privacy Policy

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.