AB 1067, as introduced, Gipson. Child welfare.
Existing law declares the intent of the Legislature to preserve and strengthen a child’s family ties whenever possible, removing the child from the custody of his or her parents only when necessary for his or her welfare or for the safety and protection of the public. Existing law includes various provisions relating to appropriate placement and other services for children in foster care.
This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 16000 of the Welfare and Institutions
2Code is amended to read:
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to preserve and
4strengthen a child’s family ties whenever possible, removing the
5child from the custody of his or her parents only when necessary
6for his or her welfare or for the safety and protection of the public.
7If a child is removed from the physical custody of his or her
P2 1parents, preferential consideration shall be given whenever possible
2to the placement of the child with the relative as required by
3Section 7950 of the Family Code. If the child is removed from his
4or her own family, it is the purpose of this chapter to secure as
5nearly as possible for the child the custody, care, and discipline
6equivalent to that which should have been given to the child by
7his or her parents. It is further the intent of the Legislature to
8reaffirm its
commitment to children who are in out-of-home
9placement to live in the least restrictive, most familylike setting
10and to live as close to the child’s family as possible pursuant to
11subdivision (c) of Section 16501.1. Family reunification services
12shall be provided for expeditious reunification of the child with
13his or her family, as required by law. If reunification isbegin delete not possible begin insert impossible or unlikely,end insert a permanent alternative shall be
14or likely,end delete
15developed.
16(b) It is further the intent of the Legislature to ensure that all
17pupils in foster care and those who arebegin delete homelessend deletebegin insert homeless,end insert
as
18defined by the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
19(42 U.S.C. Sec. 11301 etbegin delete seq.)end deletebegin insert seq.),end insert have the opportunity to meet
20the challenging state pupil academic achievement standards to
21which all pupils are held. In fulfilling their responsibilities to pupils
22in foster care, educators, county placing agencies, care providers,
23advocates, and the juvenile courts shall work together to maintain
24stable school placements and to ensure that each pupil is placed
25in the least restrictive educational programs, and has access to the
26academic resources, services, and extracurricular and enrichment
27activities that are available to all pupils. In all instances, educational
28and school placement decisionsbegin delete mustend deletebegin insert
shallend insert be based on the best
29interests of the child.
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