Oregon Senate Passes Bill to Enhance Dignity of Foster Children
SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Senate has taken a significant step towards improving the treatment of foster children by passing Senate Bill 1016, which prohibits the use of plastic trash bags for transporting their personal belongings. This legislation, approved with a strong bipartisan vote of 25 to 3, ensures that foster children will now be provided with durable carriers—such as duffel bags, suitcases, or rigid containers—whenever they transition between homes.
Senator Janeen Sollman (D-15), the chief sponsor of the bill, highlighted the importance of dignity in the lives of foster children. "Transporting a foster child’s possessions in plastic trash bags demeans a child and can make them feel like they and their belongings are disposable," she stated. By mandating more dignified luggage options, the bill aims to mitigate the trauma often associated with moving from one household to another.
Previously enacted legislation in 2023 required the Oregon Department of Human Services to stock durable baggage for foster children but did not explicitly prohibit the use of trash bags. Senate Bill 1016 now makes this prohibition clear, asserting, "The department may not use trash bags to transport a foster child’s personal effects." Furthermore, the bill mandates an annual report from the agency, detailing their inventory management and tracking any instances of trash bag usage.
The initiative follows the recent passage of another bill aimed at expanding foster children’s rights, emphasizing a growing commitment in Oregon to enhance the welfare and treatment of youth in the foster system. With SB 1016 now moving to the Oregon House of Representatives for consideration, advocates for foster children are hopeful for its swift enactment into law.
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