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An Act To Strengthen the Kinship Preference in Child Welfare Residential Placement
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §4062, sub-§4,  as enacted by PL 1999, c. 382, §1, is amended to read:
 
4. Kinship preference.   In the residential placement of a child, the department shall consider givinggive preference to an adult relative over a nonrelated caregiver when determining placement for a child, as long as the related caregiver meets all relevant state child protection standards and there is no evidence that the caregiver or the environment is unfit.
 
SUMMARY
This bill strengthens the preference for placement with adult relatives over nonrelated caregivers in child welfare placement of a child.