Counties, state staff tell Senate Finance AB 515 would address growing Title IV‑E adoption savings liability and fund child‑welfare services

Assembly Bill 515, presented June 1 by Cadence Matijevich on behalf of Washoe County, would (1) prevent reversion of funds appropriated to the Adoption Savings Program, (2) appropriate nearly $8 million across child‑welfare agencies to offset an existing liability, and (3) require an audit and funding plan to be delivered to the interim finance committee, supporters said.

Matijevich told senators the bill responds to a growing liability tied to the Title IV‑E Adoption Savings Program and the state's obligation to spend funds drawn down under that federal program. "These funds must be used by the child welfare agencies to provide the services required under the adoption savings program," she said. The sponsor said failure to address the liability could invite federal scrutiny and jeopardize Title IV‑E funding.

Joanna Jacob, representing Clark County, said the version before the committee was a product of multi‑party negotiations with Assembly Ways and Means, the Governor's Finance Office, LCB fiscal and DCFS and that respondents agreed to the second reprint. The package would remove reversion because federal law does not impose a deadline for spending the funds; the bill also directs DCFS and the Governor's Finance Office to audit the liability and submit a funding plan by Feb. 1, 2026.

Matijevich and county representatives said the appropriation across the biennium totals $7,983,892 to Clark, Washoe and rural DCFS partners to address the current unfunded liability. No opposition testimony was recorded. The hearing closed with agreement among sponsors and county representatives that the bill is intended to stabilize child‑welfare funding and clarify obligations related to Title IV‑E.