HEA 1110 Summary

• Changes the definition of "foster parent" to include individuals providing care in foster family homes or state-approved homes, removing references to related individuals who can operate without a license.

• Expands the definition of "relative" in various family law and juvenile law contexts to include blood, adoptive, and step relations, plus first cousins, aunts, uncles, and any individual with an established and significant relationship to a child.

• Repeals the separate definition of "related" and consolidates relative definitions across child welfare statutes, streamlining family placement preferences in child services proceedings.

• Makes income withholding orders mandatory in Title IV-D child support cases (unless court-stayed), requiring Title IV-D agencies to issue withholding orders automatically with support orders and implement them upon notice.

• Requires courts and child welfare agencies to consider placing children in out-of-home care with suitable and willing relatives before other placements, with necessary home evaluations and criminal history checks.