BILL ANALYSIS Ó ----------------------------------------------------------------- |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SCR 160| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- THIRD READING Bill No: SCR 160 Author: McGuire (D) Introduced:8/1/16 Vote: 21 SUBJECT: California Runaway and Homeless Youth Month SOURCE: California Coalition for Youth DIGEST: This resolution designates the month of November 2016 as California Runaway and Homeless Youth Month and recognizes the need for individuals, schools, communities, businesses, local governments, and the state to take action on behalf of runaway and homeless youth in California. ANALYSIS: This resolution makes the following legislative findings: 1)Runaway and homeless youth are young people 12 to 24 years of age. Studies suggest that nationally between 1.6 and 2.8 million youth up to 24 years of age experience homelessness every year. 2)Runaway and homeless youth flee conflict, abuse, neglect, and, increasingly, poverty in their homes. The factors impacting youth homelessness are complex and differ from those impacting other homeless populations. 3)Of the unaccompanied homeless minors in California, 76.3% are unsheltered, which is the second highest percentage in the SCR 160 Page 2 country. California has the largest number of homeless youth in any state with 28% of homeless youth in the country located in California. 4)Youths who "age out" of the foster care system are at an increased risk of homelessness and represent an estimated 20% of the 20,000 youth who leave foster care and are currently homeless. 5)Providing safe, stable, and permanent housing for runaway and homeless youth is a family, community, state, and national priority, and homeless youth are considered a unique population in the homeless community by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. 6)The number of effective programs providing services and support to runaway and homeless youth in California is a fraction of what is needed to fully address the needs of these young people. Only 20 of California's 58 counties have programs for runaway and homeless youth. 7)Awareness of the tragedy of youth homelessness and its causes must be heightened to ensure greater support for effective programs aimed at preventing homelessness and helping youth remain off the streets. This resolution designates November 2016 as California Runaway and Homeless Youth Month; and recognizes the need for individuals, schools, communities, businesses, local governments, and the state to take action on behalf of runaway and homeless youth in California. Related/Prior Legislation SCR 82 (McGuire, Resolution Chapter 159, Statutes of 2015) proclaims the month of November 2015 as California Runaway and Homeless Youth Month. SCR 160 Page 3 FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.:NoLocal: No SUPPORT: (Verified8/3/16) California Coalition for Youth (source) OPPOSITION: (Verified8/3/16) None received Prepared by: Melissa Ward / SFA / (916) 651-1520 8/4/16 12:40:13 **** END ****