BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                           Senator Kevin Murray, Chairman

                                           2985 (Maze)
          
          Hearing Date:  8/7/2006         Amended: 6/29/2006
          Consultant:  John Miller        Policy Vote: Human Svcs 4 - 1
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____
          BILL SUMMARY:  AB 2985 requires county welfare departments to  
          conduct a credit check on behalf of each foster child turning  
          16. 

          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____
                            Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

           Major Provisions         2006-07      2007-08       2008-09     Fund
           Staff services         $ 60       $ 120       $ 120     GF  
          _________________________________________________________________ 
          ____

          STAFF COMMENTS: There has been increasing concern that foster  
          youth are victims of identity theft, and are often unaware of  
          the theft due to their limited experience or institutional  
          history. This bill is intended to protect young men and women's  
          credit in the years just before their emancipation. AB 2985  
          directs counties to conduct credit checks for all foster  
          children as they become 16, and to provide credit counseling or  
          investigative services to any foster youth who has been a victim  
          of identity theft.

          Credit agencies now provide limited free credit analysis and  
          many credit counseling firms offer cost free advice and  
          assistance to young applicants.  It is the author's intent that  
          the department uses these pro bono services to fulfill the  
          requirements of this bill. Costs will result from additional  
          staff time to submit credit check applications and to  
          communicate outcomes to foster youth, but given that checks are  
          free and counseling will only be required for actual victims of  
          identity theft, cost should be limited to staff salaries. There  
          are approximately 7,000 foster youth aged 16 years.