4244737 Resolution 20-52, “Grandparent Caregivers Program Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2013”

A RESOLUTION

20-52 

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

March 5, 2013

 

To declare the existence of an emergency, due to Congressional review, with the respect to the need to amend the Grandparent Caregivers Pilot Program Establishment Act of 2005 to allow waivers of certain eligibility requirements when a child is at risk of removal from his or her home.

 

            RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Grandparent Caregivers Program Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2013”.

 

            Sec. 2.  (a)  There exists an immediate need to allow the Mayor to waive certain eligibility requirements for at-risk children to be placed with grandparents.

            (b)  Current law prevents the Child and Family Services Agency (“CFSA”) from placing a child who is in imminent risk of being removed from his or her home due to abuse or neglect with a willing grandparent and providing that grandparent with a subsidy to care for the child unless the grandparent has been the child’s primary caregiver and the child has resided with the grandparent for the previous 6 months.         

(c)  The Grandparent Caregivers Program Emergency Amendment Act of 2012, effective December 20, 2012 (D.C. Act 19-571; 60 DCR 97), which enabled CFSA to immediately waive this requirement and place children who are at risk of being removed from their homes with grandparents who are willing to care for them, will expire on March 20, 2013.  The Grandparent Caregivers Program Amendment Act of 2012, signed by the Mayor on January 14, 2013 (D.C. Act 19-613; 60 DCR 1296), has not completed the 30-day Congressional review period required by section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)).

(d) Because the emergency law regarding this matter expires on March 20, 2013, and the permanent bill will not become effective until after the emergency expires, it is important to enact this congressional review emergency legislation to continue to enable CFSA to immediately place children who are at risk of being removed from their homes with grandparents who are willing to care for them.

 

 

Sec. 3.  The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the Grandparent Caregivers Program Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2013 be adopted after a single reading.

 

Sec. 4.  This resolution shall take effect immediately.