Shouldn't those criminal offenses have always barred foster parents from getting a license?

Senate OKs foster care reform
Craig, Jon. Cincinnati Enquirer, June 27, 2007.

COLUMBUS – State legislation to improve Ohio’s foster care system – and prompted by the August murder of Marcus Fiesel – unanimously passed the 33-member Senate today.

The pair of bills, which must still be approved by the House, would require all foster parents to get FBI background checks and have their fingerprints added to a statewide database.

The legislation also increases training for foster parents from 24 to 36 hours, preparing them for special needs children like 3-year-old Marcus.

Marcus died after being left tied up in a closet in his Clermont County home while his foster parents, Liz and David Carroll Jr., went on a weekend trip to Kentucky.

The Carrolls were convicted of his murder and sentenced to life in prison.

The training will be financed by counties and with state money in the two-year budget awaiting legislative approval, according to state Sen. Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond. The legislation also expands the list of criminal offenses that bar parents from raising foster children.

The list will now include child abuse, menacing by stalking, cruelty to animals and repeat drunk driving based on two convictions within three years.

“By nature, the legislature is a reactive body (and reacts) most of the time to unfortunate situations,’’ said Sen. Gary Cates, R-West Chester, one of the bill’s sponsors. “Two days ago, a little boy named Marcus Fiesel should have been celebrating his fourth birthday.”

Cates and Niehaus said it’s important not to overreact, but to react in the right fashion.

“Marcus Fiesel’s tragic death was a catalyst,’’ Niehaus said. “Let’s not focus on the past but look toward the promise of the future. . .We chose the more deliberative (but) much more productive route.”

While they aim to tighten requirements to qualify as a foster parent, the legislators said they don’t want to punish good foster parents, or discourage others from caring for foster children.

“We know there are a lot of outstanding foster care parents,’’ Cates said.

Separately, the House passed a bill which is identical to Niehaus’ bill.