Laura Kelly on Families & Children

	Laura Kelly on Families & Children

Shortage of child care is stressful; slows down our economy

I'll be proposing the largest single-year investment ever made in our state's early childhood system. A large part of that investment will go toward solving our state's child care shortage. Over half of Kansas families in search of child care cannot find an open slot--forcing many parents to quit their jobs. And the shortages are worst in our rural areas. That's bad for our children, stressful for our parents, and, when every business is desperate for workers, it slows down our economy. Source: 2024 State of the State Address to Kansas legislature , Jan 10, 2024

Reformed foster care, focused on kinship care

We have decreased the number of children in foster care by over 15%. That started with the work done by Secretary Laura Howard and her team. They studied the mistakes of the past and took an intentional approach, to move the state away from a child welfare system and toward a child and family well-being system. Secretary Howard directed the agency to focus on things like kinship care, where a child is placed with a family member or a close family friend, instead of being placed in the system. Source: 2022 State of the State Address to the Kansas legislature , Jan 11, 2022

Must fix broken foster care system

The number of children in foster care has skyrocketed--up 45% since 2011. We've seen the programs overwhelmed by the sheer numbers in need. And the caseloads of dedicated social workers are absurdly high. My budget provides funding for the Families First Prevention Services Act. It will inject millions into efforts that strengthen vulnerable families & prevent children from entering the foster care system. My budget includes funding to hire more, qualified social workers & reduce their caseloads. Source: 2019 State of the State address to Kansas legislature , Jan 16, 2019

Opposes religious exemption for gay adoption

Legislative Summary: SB 284: The bill creates the Adoption Protection Act, which states no child placement agency (CPA) shall be required to participate in any placement of a child for foster care or adoption when the proposed placement of such child violates such CPA's sincerely held religious beliefs.

Analysis by KCUR: The Legislature has approved a measure allowing faith-based adoption and foster care agencies to be reimbursed for placement services, even if they turn away prospective parents who don't fit their religious beliefs. Opponents argued the religious protections would open the door to state-sponsored discrimination, particularly against same-sex couples, but also single people and minorities. Legislative Outcome: Passed House 63-58-4 on May/3/18; Passed Senate 24-15-1 on May/3/18; State Sen. Laura Kelly voted NO; Signed by Governor Jeff Colyer on May/18/18

Source: KCUR 89.3 FM analysis of Kansas SB 284 voting records , May 3, 2018

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*Other governors on Families & Children:*			*Laura Kelly on other issues:*
[Title7]	*Gubernatorial Debates 2023:* KY: Incumbent Andy Beshear(D) vs.State A.G. Daniel Cameron(R) vs.Ambassador Kelly Craft(R) vs.State Auditor Mike Harmon(R) LA: Incumbent John Bel Edwards(D,term-limited) vs.Jeff Landry(R) vs.Shawn Wilson(D) vs.John Schroder(R) vs.Sharon Hewitt(R) MS: Incumbent Tate Reeves(R) vs.Bill Waller(R,withdrew) vs.Brandon Presley(D) *Gubernatorial Debates 2024:* DE: Gov. John Carney (D, term-limited); Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long (D) vs. Matt Meyer (D) IN: Gov. Eric Holcomb (R, term-limited); Sen. Mike Braun (R) vs. Suzanne Crouch (R) vs. Jennifer McCormick (D) MO: Gov. Mike Parson (R, term-limited): Jay Ashcroft (R) vs. Bill Eigel (R) vs. Mike Kehoe (R) vs. Crystal Quade (D) MT: Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) vs. Tanner Smith (R) vs. Ryan Busse (D)	*Gubernatorial Debates 2024 (continued):* NC: Gov. Roy Cooper (D, term-limited); Dale Folwell (R) vs. Michael Morgan (D) vs. Mark Robinson (R) vs. Josh Stein (D) vs. Andy Wells (R) ND: Gov. Doug Burgum (R) vs. State Rep. Rick Becker (R) NH: Gov. Chris Sununu (R, retiring) vs. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R) vs. Joyce Craig (D) vs. Chuck Morse (R) vs. Cinde Warmington (D) UT: Gov. Spencer Cox (R) vs. State Rep. Phil Lyman (R) VT: Gov. Phil Scott (R) unopposed WA: Gov. Jay Inslee (D, retiring); Hilary Franz (D, withdrew) vs. State Sen. Mark Mullet (D) vs. County Chair Semi Bird (R) vs. WA Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) WV: Gov. Jim Justice (R, term-limited); vs. WV State Auditor JB McCuskey (R, withdrew) vs. WV Secretary of State Mac Warner (R) vs. State Del. Moore Capito (R) vs. WV Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (R) vs. Huntington Mayor Steve Williams (D)	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Local Issues Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty [Title9]