BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2031
Page 1
GOVERNOR'S VETO
AB 2031 (Cohn)
As Amended March 29, 2006
2/3 vote
HUMAN SERVICES 6-0 APPROPRIATIONS 14-4
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| |Evans,Arambula, Bass, |Ayes:|Chu, Bass, Berg, |
| |Coto, Nation, Spitzer | |Calderon, |
| | | |De La Torre, Karnette, |
| | | |Klehs, Leno, Nakanishi, |
|Ayes:| | |Nation, Oropeza, |
| | | |Ridley-Thomas, Saldana, |
| | | |Yee |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | |Nays:|Sharon Runner, Emmerson, |
| | | |Haynes, Walters |
| | | | |
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|ASSEMBLY: |80-0 |(May 31, |SENATE: |21-7 |(August 28, |
| | |2006) | | |2006) |
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SUMMARY : Requires the California Department of Social Services
(DSS) in conjunction with stakeholders to draft guidelines
outlining best practices in the use of advanced technology to
assist counties in identifying all relatives and
nonrelative-extended family members for foster youth.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Expands current law by requiring the state to encourage the
development of approaches that include ensuring that a search
for the relatives of foster youth is initiated before placement
decisions are made for children who are unable to be reunited
with their families.
2)Requires DSS in conjunction with the California Youth
Connection, the County Welfare Directors Association, and the
AB 2031
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California Alliance of Child and Family Services among others to
draft guidelines outlining best practices in the use of advanced
technology to assist counties in identifying all relatives and
non-relative extended family members at the earliest possible
time for a foster child.
3)Makes findings and declarations noting that eight counties in
California have initiated programs to use advanced technology to
find the extended families of foster youth.
4)Specifies that while the Legislature supports reunification of
families when it can be safely accomplished, the search for
permanent homes with relatives should be initiated before
placement decisions are made for children who cannot return to
their biological families.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee
analysis, minor absorbable workload costs to allow DSS to draft
the best practice guidelines.
COMMENTS : According to the author, "far too many children are
placed with strangers or in group homes due to the difficulty of
finding available relatives for the purposes of adoption, relative
care-giving or an established connection to the youth's immediate
family. As a result these youth experience emotional trauma,
inadequate education, homelessness and often criminal behavior."
Outcome data from Washington and Illinois show that children in
the care of relatives are less likely to enter state custody, and
most of the arrangements do not require intensive supervision of
the placement by the courts or by the department of social
services.
Last year a nearly identical measure, AB 880 (Cohn) passed through
both houses but was vetoed by the Governor. In his veto message,
the Governor said, among other things "the bill does not provide
resources to develop the cost benefit analysis of using locator
technology."
The author reports that there have been recent conversations with
the Administration and now believes that as a result of the March
20, 2006 amendments removing the section of the bill that required
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a cost benefit analysis the Governor will likely sign the bill.
GOVERNOR'S VETO MESSAGE :
I am returning Assembly Bill 2031, which is similar to
a measure I vetoed last year (AB 880, Cohn), without my
signature, as current law already requires counties to
identify and locate family members when making foster
care placements.
Working together, my Administration and the Legislature
have taken action to improve the safety, permanency and
well-being of children in California through the
fundamental restructuring of Child Welfare Services. We
secured a first of its kind federal waiver to provide
counties flexibility to use federal funds on preventive
services for families in crisis to keep children in safe
and stable homes, and to reduce the need for foster care
placement. With broad bipartisan support, we made a
historic investment of $255 million in the budget to
promote successful transitions of former foster youth to
adulthood, increase adoptions, and support the
restructuring of the child welfare system and the
provision of services to children and families that is
linked to outcome improvements. Because supporting
connections between children and youth in foster care
and their relatives is an important goal, I signed
legislation to expand the Kin-GAP program to enhance the
ability of relatives to care for foster children, and
supported requirements to promote and maintain
supportive relationships between youth and their
mentors, relatives and extended family members.
Counties have made significant progress in more
effectively identifying and locating relatives of
children and youth in foster care. The recent expansion
of the Kin-GAP program and focus on improved outcomes
will support continued improvements. These efforts will
be monitored and supported by the California Child
Welfare Council established by AB 2216 which I have
signed into law. Given efforts to date, the soon to be
created Child Welfare Council, California's national
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leadership in identifying relatives of children in
foster care, and existing authority for the Department
of Social Services to develop guidelines
administratively, this bill is unnecessary.
Analysis Prepared by : Caitlin O'Halloran / HUM. S. / (916)
319-2089
FN: 0017918