BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2985
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 2985 (Maze)
As Amended August 15, 2006
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | |(May 4, 2006) |SENATE: |35-0 |(August 21, |
| | | | | |2006) |
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(vote not relevant)
Original Committee Reference: HUM. S.
SUMMARY : Requires a county welfare department to request a
consumer credit disclosure on a foster youth turning 16, and to
refer that foster youth to a credit counseling organization upon
any indication of a disclosure revealing negative items or
evidence of identity theft.
The Senate amendments delete the Assembly version of this bill,
and instead:
1)Require that, upon a foster youth reaching his or her 16th
birthday, the county welfare department shall request a
consumer disclosure pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act
to ascertain whether or not identity theft has occurred.
2)Provide that if the consumer disclosure reveals a disclosure
or any negative items or any evidence of identity theft
appears on the credit report, the county welfare department
shall refer the foster youth to an approved organization
providing services to victims of identity theft.
3)Require the state Department of Social Services, in
consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association,
consumer credit reporting agencies and other relevant
stakeholders, to prepare a list of approved organizations to
which the foster youth may be referred for assistance in
responding to an instance of suspected identity theft.
4)Provide that nothing in the bill be construed to require the
county welfare department to request more than one consumer
disclosure on behalf of a youth or to take steps beyond
referring the youth to an approved organization.
AB 2985
Page 2
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill precluded, with specified
exceptions, any person under the age of 21 years of age from
providing care and supervision of children placed in a group
home.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations Committee
analysis, the costs of this bill are estimated to be $60,000 for
2006-07, and $120,000 in subsequent years to cover staff time to
submit credit check applications and communicate outcomes to
foster youth.
COMMENTS : According to the author, previous legislative efforts
and information gathered by the Assembly Select Committee on
Foster Care have uncovered the problem of identity theft in
which foster youth are victims. Biological parents of foster
youth, and in some cases foster parents, have sometimes
exploited knowledge of a foster youth's social security number
and other personal information for financial gain. Foster youth
who are victims of identity theft find increased difficulty in
obtaining housing and accessing other financial services, once
they are emancipated. An estimated 6,000-7,000 foster youth
turn 16 years old each year.
The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act provides for free annual
disclosures. Many credit counseling firms offer cost-free
advice and assistance to young applicants.
This bill was substantially amended in the Senate. The
provisions approved by the Assembly were deleted. The subject
matter of this bill has not been heard in any Assembly policy
committee.
Analysis Prepared by : John Boisa / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089
FN: 0016261