BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Idaho House on Monday unanimously approved new foster care reforms that would allow judges to oversee adoptions and implement a timeframe for relatives to apply to care for a child.

Republican Rep. Christy Perry, of Nampa, says the foster care system has been plagued by problems for years because of vague state laws. Perry added that the bill is just a first step to addressing changes inside the foster care system. She expects future legislation to be introduced next session to continue addressing the problem.

However, Idaho's Department of Health and Welfare administrators, state prosecutors and public defenders who work in child protective cases have all testified against the bill because of concerns over the new timeline. The measure now moves to the Senate.

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