BILL ANALYSIS AB 458 Page 1 CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS AB 458 (Chu) As Amended July 15, 2003 Majority vote ----------------------------------------------------------------- |ASSEMBLY: |46-31|(May 12, 2003) |SENATE: |23-11|(July 24, | | | | | | |2003) | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Original Committee Reference: HUM. S. SUMMARY : Seeks to ensure that foster children and others in the foster care community are not subjected to discrimination or harassment on the basis of actual or perceived race, ethnic group identification, ancestry, national origin, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental or physical disability, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status. The Senate amendments clarify that nothing in this measure shall be interpreted to create or modify existing preferences for foster placements or to limit the agency's ability to make placement decisions for a child based on the child's best interests and make other technical changes. EXISTING LAW : 1)Establishes the Foster Youth Bill of Rights. 2)Requires all states, in order to be eligible to receive federal foster care monies, to establish standards for foster family homes, including standards for safety, sanitation, and protection of civil rights. AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill: 1)Found and declared that foster children are harmed by discrimination and it includes within the Foster Youth Bill of Rights the right to have fair and equal access to all available services, placement, care, treatment, and benefits, and to not be subjected to discrimination or harassment on the basis of actual or perceived race, ethnic group identification, ancestry, national origin, color, mental or physical disability, or HIV status. AB 458 Page 2 2)Included training on the rights of foster children enumerated above within the existing trainings required for licensed foster parents, both pre-placement and post-placement of a foster child, relative caregivers, group home administrators, licensing personnel in group homes and foster family agencies. FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, minor absorbable workload costs to update foster youth education and foster parent training materials. COMMENTS : Last year AB 2651 (Chu), a similar bill, was vetoed by the Governor. This year AB 458 has been amended to address the Governor's concerns. Analysis Prepared by : Caitlin O'Halloran / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089 FN: 0002392