House, Senate Gridlocked Over Foster Care Privatization

In the House version, the state would dip its toes into privatization, rolling out a 2-year pilot program in a handful of districts, testing the waters to see how deep Georgia should go with privatizing child welfare. 

The question lawmakers will likely address this week: Should the state dive in, or test the waters?

“We’re at a stalemate. I think by Tuesday when we return to the Capitol, I think there may be some solution,” said Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur), who sits on the committee that approved the House bill.

But as of last week, neither chamber seemed to be backing down from its version.

Oliver said Republican Rep. Wendell Willard, who chairs the committee that passed the House version, is right to put forward a pilot program. She also threw her support behind Gov. Nathan Deal’s plan for a Child Welfare Reform Council, which was announced last week.

“Privatization is not the sole solution. And I think if we proceed with some pilot projects with privatization while we are looking at the systemic changes Gov. Deal is asking us to do in his council, then we’ll be better off,” Oliver said.

Deal’s announcement of the Child Welfare Reform Council throws into question the future of privatization – a plan he endorsed earlier this year and one that is strongly supported by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle.

Renne Unterman (R-Buford) is the bill’s sponsor in the Senate and original author. She insists privatizing child welfare services will provide better outcomes for children in the state’s care, while also keeping them safer.

In a Senate committee meeting last week, she said the House version “stripped” the Senate version of “most of its good parts.”

“The Senate has spoken very loudly that they want changes, and those bills have gone over to the House, and we’ll see how it comes out in conference committee,” Unterman said later in the week, giving no indication she intended to back away from her version, despite the governor’s announcement for a special council.

Unterman has attached her original version to two bills that have passed the House.

One House bill, HB 913, would bar individuals with a conflict of interest from serving on the Board of Community Health.

The other, HB 914, would require department or government agencies to notify school personnel they’ve received a child abuse or neglect claim and when an investigation is complete. 

Unterman’s move potentially forces the House to take an up or down vote on legislation they’ve already approved.

Oliver said Unterman is holding up a lot of House bills to get what she wants.

“Sen. Unterman has stopped all my bills … and many other house bills based on her adamant support for her version of privatization,” Oliver said.

The legislative session is set to end Thursday.