BATON ROUGE — When Sen. Ryan Gatti filed a bill this spring to rescue children who age out of Louisiana foster care system with no high school diploma, no home and nowhere to go it seemed destined for failure.
The state was mired in a budget crisis.
Bills requiring new funding were put aside in a stack in the Senate Finance Committee – heard but not moved forward – until Gatti’s Senate Bill 129 to extend foster care from age 18 to 21 or until the child graduates high school came before the panel.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Eric LaFleur, D-Ville Platte, moved by compelling testimony from foster kids and families, decided the state must find the $1 million needed to fund the bill.
LaFleur’s colleagues on the panel agreed, unanimously moving it forward. "It's the best bill of the session," said Sen. Ronnie Johns, R-Lake Charles, himself an adoptive father.
“I can't believe we got it out," Gatti, R-Bossier City, said that day as he gathered outside the committee room with as many as 20 foster kids, foster parents and child welfare officials to offer a prayer of thanks.
His bill continued to gain steam, ultimately approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. John Bel Edwards.
Gatti said his bill was shepherded through divine intervention.
“Anytime you stand with children the best lobbyist in the world is Jesus Christ,” said Gatti, who said his Christian faith guides much of his legislation.
Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Marketa Walters, herself weeping during some testimony, said about 180 children age out of the foster care system each year at 18 without finishing high school.
Of those, she said 20 percent end up in jail and 25 percent end up homeless. "(This week) two girls were found (living) in a laundromat," she testified in committee.
Another foster child testified about changing schools 36 times, throwing her behind her grade level.
Cheri Breaux of Lafayette and her adopted 17-year-old daughter Hope Breaux were among those who supported the bill through testimony at the Capitol.
"I've started a nonprofit to help (those who age out), but I can't do it by myself," said Cheri Breaux, pointing to her daughter as inspiration.
Gatti and others said many foster families can't afford to continue to care for their foster children once the state subsidy ends at 18.
"These children are resilient," Gatti said. "They just need a good landing zone. We know what their story will be without it."
Walters estimated the cost of expanding the age to 21 at almost $1 million annually, which would be matched with $3 million from the federal government.
"We can't abandon these children," Gatti implored during testimony.
And in the end, lawmakers and the governor agreed.
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1
