Bill does not protect our children

I believe that here at the Statehouse, legislators should do everything in their power to help people to their fullest capacity. And we have a large capacity.

Here we have brilliant legal minds, community activists, talented physicians and truly big-hearted people.

So it does not make sense to me when we do not act on our constitutionally-given power and responsibility to help people and make the largest impact possible.

Last week, the Indiana House passed Senate Bill 239, 71-15.

The bill provides what the Department of Child Services already does: to allow the child and family services to decide whether to meet remotely or not, even for the first meeting with the family during a declared health emergency.

I voted “no” because this bill does not go far enough to protect our most vulnerable population: our children.

The fiscal note of the bill says it plainly: “The bill’s provisions will likely have minimal impact on the Department of Child Services as policies and procedures already exist to allow child and family services to be provided remotely.”

The DCS already have at their disposal teleconference, Skype, FaceTime and telephone.

Children can’t vote for their representatives, which is why we have to be an even louder voice and advocate for them at the Statehouse.

I offered an amendment to make sure the bill did not have loopholes, to make it have an actual, real-life impact.

I wanted to limit remote services to only if it follows up on a child and family meeting no later than six days after an in-person meeting or provides parenting education services. We won’t always be in a pandemic, even if it sometimes may feel otherwise, and I’m afraid of the path that this bill will take us down.

We adapted a lot when our world turned upside down, but in some situations, nothing is better than face-to-face — especially when it comes to making sure our children are safe and protected.

I’m disappointed in my fellow legislators who turned down my amendment to help protect our children.

As SB 239 heads back to the Senate, I encourage my legislators in the other chamber to truly think of our children before voting.