BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 1761
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 14, 2014

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                    AB 1761 (Hall) - As Amended:  March 28, 2014 

          Policy Committee:                              Human  
          ServicesVote: 6 - 0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          Yes    Reimbursable:              Yes

           SUMMARY  


          This bill clarifies existing law relating to the placement  
          preference of a child with his or her relative. Specifically,  
          this bill: 


             1)   Expands current law so that a minor who is removed from  
               the custody of his or her parents may be temporarily placed  
               with a relative or non-related extended family member after  
               a detention hearing and pending a dispositional hearing. 





             2)   Clarifies that a social worker is not limited to placing  
               a minor with an appropriate relative when one or more  
               relatives or non-related extended family members are being  
               considered.


           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Minor and absorbable costs (GF) to reimburse county welfare  
          departments should the Commission on State Mandates determine  
          there is a reimbursable cost. Although this bill is keyed a  
          mandate, the bill does not add new tasks or additional social  
          worker duties. Social workers are currently required to assess  
          the suitability of a relative or non-related extended family  
          member to care for a child pending a detention hearing. This  








                                                                  AB 1761
                                                                  Page  2

          bill applies this provision to a request occurring after the  
          detention hearing or pending a disposition hearing. 

           COMMENTS  

           1)Purpose  . The author notes that current law is not clear  
            regarding immediate placement with a relative in the first few  
            months of a child's time in foster care. In addition, current  
            provisions do not give guidance regarding how a social worker  
            should proceed when more than one relative is interested in  
            providing foster care to a child. Current law allows a county  
            social worker to temporarily place a child with a relative  
            pending a detention hearing. AB 1761 also allows a county  
            social worker to temporarily place a child with a relative  
            after a detention hearing or pending a disposition hearing,  
            and clarifies that a county social worker may place a child  
            with an appropriate relative pending the assessment of other  
            relatives. 

           2)Related Legislation  . AB 2391 (Calderon), clarifies how  
            relatives may be considered for possible placement after a  
            foster child's initial placement has been made.  This bill is  
            before this committee today.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081