BILL ANALYSIS
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 500|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 445-6614 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 500
Author: Kuehl (D)
Amended: 4/4/05
Vote: 27
SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE : 6-0, 4/12/05
AYES: Simitian, Maldonado, Aanestad, Alarcon, Alquist,
Chesbro
NO VOTE RECORDED: Florez
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE : 7-0, 4/26/05
AYES: Dunn, Morrow, Ackerman, Cedillo, Escutia, Figueroa,
Kuehl
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 13-0, 5/26/05
AYES: Migden, Aanestad, Alarcon, Alquist, Ashburn, Battin,
Dutton, Escutia, Florez, Murray, Ortiz, Poochigian,
Romero
SUBJECT : Pregnant and parenting foster youth
SOURCE : Childrens Law Center of Los Angeles
County Welfare Directors Association of
California
DIGEST : This bill creates a new foster care category for
whole family foster care designed to maximize available
federal funds to finance a richer foster care model in
order to maintain pregnant and parenting foster mothers
with their infants and children.
CONTINUED
SB 500
Page
2
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1. Establishes under Section 300 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code the dependency standards for the
juvenile courts use to declare any minor as dependent.
2. Establishes the specific criteria for Aid to Families
with Dependent Children (AFDC)-Foster Care (FC) payments
to be made to support a minor under foster care.
3. Defines the range of foster homes for placement
purposes.
4. Requires specific plans for foster children according to
specific elements and timetables.
This bill:
1. Amends the dependency standards to say that the juvenile
court shall not consider a child to be at risk of abuse
or neglect solely because the parent is a dependent in
the foster care system.
2. Adds to the criteria for AFDC-FC payments the dependent
child of a minor parent who is otherwise a dependent in
foster care.
3. Adds "whole family foster care" to the eligible types of
foster care placements.
4. Requires a shared responsibility plan be developed when
a teen parent has partial or sole custody of a child in
foster care based on specific criteria.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 Fund
CONTINUED
SB 500
Page
3
Reduced state assistance -$300 -$150
General
Increased federal support $200 $400
Federal
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/26/05)
Children's Law Center of Los Angeles (co-source)
County Welfare Directors Association of California
(co-source)
Alliance for Children's Rights
California Alliance of Child and Family Services
California Commission on the Status of Women
California National Organization of Women
California State Association of Counties
Family Law Section of the State Bar
Junior Leagues of California
Los Angeles Affiliate of the National Association of
Council for Children
National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter
National Center for Youth Law
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The author's office argues that
this bill removes the barrier in current law which prevents
the maximizing of federal funds to finance the care of
foster pregnant and parenting teens. Recent federal
guidelines increase access to federal funds for these
cases.
CTW:mel 5/28/05 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
**** END ****
CONTINUED