BILL ANALYSIS
AB 270
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 20, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
AB 270 (De La Torre) - As Amended: April 27, 2009
Policy Committee: JudiciaryVote:9 -
1
Human Services 6 - 0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: Yes
SUMMARY
This bill specifies additional responsibilities for the county
welfare department (CWD) before a foster youth reaches the age
of 18 and before a non-minor dependent exits foster care. In
addition, it requires the juvenile court to continue
jurisdiction over a non-minor until specified requirements have
been met. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires the CWD to terminate the court's jurisdiction over a
youth who has reached the age of majority, and to verify in
its report to the court that specified information, services,
and documents have been provided to the youth.
2)Requires the CWD to provide the youth with all addresses of
residency while under the jurisdiction of the court, a voter
registration form, and, if applicable, a United State
Selective Service registration form.
3)Require the CWD to verify to the court that the youth has been
screened for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) eligibility
and that an application has been filed if the youth is likely
to be eligible.
4)Requires the CWD to verify to the court that the youth has
received a consumer credit report and any related referrals,
as required by other provisions of existing law.
5)Requires the juvenile court to continue its jurisdiction over
the youth if it finds that the CWD has not provided the youth
with the required information and services.
AB 270
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FISCAL EFFECT
1)Testimony before the Assembly Human Service Committee suggests
that up to 30% of emancipating foster youth are not provided
with the information required in this legislation. Therefore,
if 30% of the 5,000 emancipating youth spend an additional
month in foster care because they have not received the
appropriate documents and services, it will cost approximately
$4 million GF in additional grant costs and social worker
costs.
2)Costs in the range of $50,000 annually for workload associated
with county child welfare departments providing the required
information to 5,000 emancipating foster youth each year.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . According to the author, the intent of this bill is
insure that courts maintain jurisdiction over a foster youth
if essential documents are not provided before their
emancipation. These documents include birth certificate,
Social Security card, California identification card, Select
Service registration and other vital documents. Currently,
courts have the discretion to terminate jurisdiction over a
foster child without their receipt of vital identification
documents. Without proper documentation foster youth are left
completely unidentifiable, therefore much more vulnerable and
unable to secure employment. The author hopes that AB 270 will
strengthen the court's role to ensure counties are providing
all required documentation to foster youth prior to the
court's termination of jurisdiction.
2)Related Legislation . AB 2310 (Maze; Chapter 131, Statutes of
2008) required county child welfare departments to provide
certain information to foster youth who have reached the age
of majority before the juvenile court terminates jurisdiction
over that youth. AB 2310 was different from AB 270 in that it
did not require that youth remain in care until the
appropriate documents are provided.
Similar to this bill, SB 1148 (Cedillo) in 2008 would have
required courts to retain jurisdiction over dependent children
who reached the age of majority without verification that the
youth had housing, health insurance, and employment or other
AB 270
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financial support. SB 1148 was held by the Senate
Appropriations Committee.
Analysis Prepared by : Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916)
319-2081