Gov. Walker signs bipartisan foster care bills in La Crosse

Last fall, La Crosse County hosted a statewide task force hearing on the needs of foster children and foster families around Wisconsin.

Many of the concerns brought up at that hearing have led to 11 new foster care laws in the state.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker came to La Crosse on Wednesday to sign some of those bills, which received nearly unanimous support in the Wisconsin legislature.

The signings were split between Wausau and La Crosse, because the co-chairs of a foster care task force represent those areas in Madison. Assemblyman Steve Doyle of Onalaska was one of the chairs present for the signing ceremony at the La Crosse County offices.

The governor said the new laws will help those families obtain funding they need and should ease some of the problems in dealing with the court system.

“Not having a cumbersome, lengthy process, that really is not only a hassle for the foster families but for the children, to go through and being dragged out and the time involved with that,” he said.

The county’s three Democratic state legislators attended the signing, along with area judges and many foster parents.

The new laws provide more funding for foster families, extra dental care for them, and assistance for dealing with legal matters.