ALBUQUERQUE — New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez said Wednesday she will support a proposal that would require background checks on foster parents and relatives before foster children are placed in their homes.

Martinez told attendees at the Children's Law Institute conference that state officials have identified loopholes that allow some foster children to be placed in dangerous homes. She said some family members who have taken in foster children have been found to have criminal records, like rape convictions.

Under a proposal by Sen. Sander Rue, R-Albuquerque, officials with the state Children, Youth and Families Department will have access to an FBI database when placing foster children with relatives and close family friends.

"It's simple," Martinez told the audience. "CYFD, working with the state police, will be able to immediately run a background check on potential foster parents, before the kids are placed with those relatives. This will help us keep kids safer."

After speaking, Martinez told The Associated Press that she would push for lawmakers to take up the bill despite the legislative session's focus on solely budget matters.

"It doesn't matter," said Martinez. "It depends really on the Legislature making sure it's a priority. Get it through the committees. Give it the limited number of committees. Get it on both Senate and House floors and vote on it. How can anybody disagree with doing this, if we are going to place children there?"

Rue said he believed he could get the bill passed in the upcoming 30-day session, which starts next week.

"We need to make sure that children are in a safe environment," Rue said. "We're essentially closing a loophole."

Rue said he thinks he might face some opposition from lawmakers on privacy concerns over the government being allowed to conduct yet another background search.

But Martinez said she had a solution for that. "If they don't want their background checked. Fine," said Martinez. "Then the children won't go there."




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