VIDEO | Rep. Joshua Penner proposes operating budget amendment to protect infants born into addiction
Rep. Joshua Penner, R-Orting, an assistant ranking member on the House Appropriations Committee, introduced an amendment to the supplemental operating budget (HB 2289) during the committee’s executive session on Feb. 25, 2026. His amendment targets the heart of the fentanyl and opioid crisis by ensuring specialized care is available for the most vulnerable victims of the epidemic.
The amendment requires the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to reinstate its contract with a pediatric interim care center in Kent. This facility provides essential, around-the-clock medical care for up to 13 infants under the age of two who are suffering through the difficult process of drug withdrawal.
It’s designed to be fiscally responsible and does not add any new costs to the state budget. While the care center can raise its own funds to operate, it needs a formal contract with the state to allow the placement of infants in its care.
In addition to medical support, the amendment focuses on the long-term health of the family unit. It mandates that on-site training for biological and foster parents be included in the contract to help families stay together and grow through the recovery process.
The majority party did not accept his amendment.
