BILL ANALYSIS
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 1412|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 445-6614 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1412
Author: Leno (D), et al
Amended: 9/2/05 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE : 6-1, 6/28/05
AYES: Simitian, Maldonado, Alarcon, Alquist, Chesbro,
Florez
NOES: Aanestad
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE : 5-2, 7/12/05
AYES: Dunn, Cedillo, Escutia, Figueroa, Kuehl
NOES: Morrow, Ackerman
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 8-5, 8/25/05
AYES: Migden, Alarcon, Alquist, Escutia, Florez, Murray,
Ortiz, Romero
NOES: Aanestad, Ashburn, Battin, Dutton, Poochigian
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 54-25, 6/1/05 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Dependent children: out-of-home placements
SOURCE : California Youth Connection
DIGEST : This bill expands, subject to phase-in and
appropriation through the Budget Act, the responsibilities
of county child welfare workers by directing them to ask
all foster children 10 years old or older who have been in
placement longer than six months about developing and
CONTINUED
AB 1412
Page
2
maintaining supportive relationships with adults who can
serve in important roles in the foster youth's life.
Senate Floor Amendments of 9/2/05 resolve chaptering out
problems with other legislation pending this session.
ANALYSIS : Existing law requires child welfare workers to
ask foster children 10 years old and older who have lived
in group homes longer than six months about developing and
sustaining supportive relationships with adults. [AB 408
(Steinberg), Chapter 813, Statutes of 2003 and AB 2807
(Steinberg), Chapter 810, Statutes of 2004]
Existing law also requires a court to determine if the
child welfare agency has made reasonable efforts to
identify supportive adults consistent with the child's best
interests.
Additionally, existing law also allows foster youth over
the age of 12 to review his/her case plan.
This bill:
1. Expands the children benefiting from this activity from
only those living in group homes to all children living
in a variety of settings.
2. Subjects the implementation of this bill to phase-in and
appropriation through the Budget Act.
3. Amends current law establishing the development of a
case plan to direct the inclusion of the child in the
development of the case plan as age and developmentally
appropriate.
4. Provides that at age 12 or older, a foster youth would
be given the opportunity to participate in the case
plan-to review, sign, and to receive a copy of the case
plan.
5. Requires a child's statement of his/her wishes with
regard to a permanency plan become part of the plan
along with an assessment of the child's wishes.
AB 1412
Page
3
6. Sets a priority for implementation, subject to
appropriation, to give first priority to children 10
years or older who have been placed with nonrelatives
for six months or longer, second priority to expand the
children to those in permanent placement with relatives
for six months or longer, the final phase being for all
other foster children 10 years or older in placement
longer than six months.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2005-06 2006-07
2007-08 Fund
Cost pressures: $800 $1,600
$1,600General &
require social workers
Special*
to conduct interviews
and other checks
* A little less than 50 percent of the costs will be
borne by the General Fund.
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/29/05)
California Youth Connection (source)
Alameda County Foster Youth Alliance
Alliance for Children's Rights
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal
Employees
California Alliance of Child and Family Services
California Association of Adoption Agencies
California Coalition for Youth
California Welfare Directors Association
Children's Advocacy Institute
Family Law Section, California State Bar
GLASS
Honoring Emancipated Youth
Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect
Junior Leagues of California
AB 1412
Page
4
Juvenile Court Judges of California
National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter
National Center for Youth Law
Social Advocates for Youth
Youth Law Center
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author, "in
California, social workers often focus permanency efforts
on younger children even though over half the children in
foster care are over age 11 and will remain in foster care
for the majority of their childhood. Many foster youth
leave care without a single lasting relationship or
connection with any adult. Many youth have relationships
only with professionals who are paid to fulfill a role,
like a social worker, and therefore, the relationships only
last while the youth is in foster care."
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Arambula, Baca, Bass, Berg, Bermudez, Blakeslee,
Calderon, Canciamilla, Chan, Chavez, Chu, Cohn, Coto,
Daucher, De La Torre, Dymally, Evans, Frommer, Garcia,
Goldberg, Hancock, Jerome Horton, Shirley Horton, Jones,
Karnette, Klehs, Koretz, Laird, Leno, Levine, Lieber,
Liu, Matthews, Montanez, Mullin, Nation, Nava, Negrete
McLeod, Oropeza, Parra, Pavley, Richman, Ridley-Thomas,
Ruskin, Saldana, Salinas, Spitzer, Torrico, Tran, Umberg,
Vargas, Wolk, Yee, Nunez
NOES: Aghazarian, Benoit, Bogh, Cogdill, DeVore, Emmerson,
Harman, Haynes, Houston, Huff, Keene, La Malfa, La Suer,
Leslie, Maze, McCarthy, Mountjoy, Nakanishi, Niello,
Plescia, Sharon Runner, Strickland, Villines, Walters,
Wyland
NO VOTE RECORDED: Gordon
CTW:mel 9/2/05 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
**** END ****