A local lawmaker says he will file a law reforming foster care laws in Florida and will name it in honor of the toddler who was killed after he was taken from a foster family.
State Rep. Chris Latvala, R-Clearwater, said he plans to file "Jordan's Law" in December.
The proposed law is named after 2-year-old Jordan Belliveau, who was killed last month, allegedly by his birth mother, after being taken away from the foster family he had lived with most of his life.
Latvala said the bill would provide more caseworkers for the Department of Children and Families and higher pay.
He said each caseworker handles on average about 24 cases. The optimal number for each worker is 10, Latvala said experts told him.
Latvala said the bill came about after a meeting with a 20-year-old mother who started a petition to reform child welfare laws in the state. The petition has garnered more than 20,000 signatures.
The lawmaker said he plans to talk with other people in foster care and law enforcement and would like to find a way for foster families to have a voice in the reunification process.
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