Avella, Hevesi Bill Expanding Protections For Foster Children Receives Governor’s Signature (Queens Gazette)
Queens Gazette, November 1, 2017
Avella, Hevesi Bill Expanding Protections For Foster Children Receives Governor’s Signature
“On October 24, Governor Cuomo signed into law a piece of legislation (S4833-A/A7554-A) introduced by NYS Senator Tony Avella (SD 11) and Assembly Member Andrew Hevesi (AD 28) to amend the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (KinGAP) to expand the definition of ‘relative guardian’ to include additional adults with close relationships to the foster child. This legislation was first introduced in the NYS Legislature in March and instantly received overwhelming support through memorandums of support from Lawyers for Children, Citizens Committee for Children, the New York City Bar, the New York State Bar Association, New York State Kinship Navigator, the Schuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, the New York City A.S.F.A. Coalition, and the Committee on Children and the Law. As the 2017 Legislative Session came to an end in June, the bill passed both the Senate and Assembly unanimously.”
