Topeka ? Senators gave first-round approval Monday to a bill creating a new program to help grandparents who are raising their grandchildren, with the goal of keeping some of those children out of foster families.

But some critics saw the measure as a potential budget-buster.

Under the bill, advanced to final action on a voice vote, the state would pay grandparents at least 75 percent of what they would receive had they accepted unrelated foster children. Eligible grandparents would have a household income less than 130 percent of the federal poverty level, or $19,838 for a family of three.

The new program would be known as Grandparents as Foster Parents, and the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services would have to start it by April 2005. Legislators contemplate setting aside $250,000 for the program’s first three months, then $1 million annually after that.

Supporters said such a program would allow more children from troubled families to be raised by their grandparents rather than being placed in state custody and put in foster homes.

They said sometimes grandparents want to step in but cannot raise their grandchildren because of the cost. The federal census estimated that in 2000, about 29,000 children lived with their grandparents, a 43 percent increase over 1990.

“They’re struggling to keep them in the family,” said Sen. Greta Goodwin, D-Winfield.

And Sen. John Vratil, R-Leawood, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure would allow the state to “test drive” the new program.

But Senate President Dave Kerr said the program probably would become so popular that it would “break the bank.” He noted that hundreds of disabled and elderly Kansans currently are on waiting lists for social services designed to keep them in their homes.

“Some of those needs are pretty spectacular,” said Kerr, R-Hutchinson.

Sen. Henry Helgerson said the state should not start a new program when money is tight.

“I love the program, but I don’t agree with starting any new program this year, when we can’t take care of the ones we’ve got,” said Helgerson, D-Wichita.

Grandparents as foster parents is SB 320.