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Senate approves bill letting some 18‑year‑old foster youth petition to return home
Summary
Senate Bill 79 allows certain 18‑year‑olds in foster care to petition to return home with parental involvement and a 90‑day period to seek reentry to custody if needed; sponsors said DCFS and other stakeholders helped craft the fourth substitute, and the Senate passed the measure and sent it to the House.
Senator Jackson presented Fourth Substitute Senate Bill 79 on the floor, describing it as a carefully negotiated bill that lets an 18‑year‑old who is in foster care under the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) petition the court, with parental participation, to return home. The bill includes a 90‑day window that allows the young adult to petition to reenter custody if the return is unsuccessful.
Jackson said the bill provides for judicial review and requires consultation with DCFS, a guardian ad litem and the attorney general's office. Senators raised practical concerns about school transfers for students returning home, noting that seniors who move across district lines could face disruption; the sponsor acknowledged the possibility and said the estimated number of affected youth (about 80 currently ages 18–21) suggested limited overall scale.
Floor discussion indicated committee support and that DCFS had been involved in drafting and reviewing the language; supporters said the substitute balanced protections for youth and families. The Senate voted to pass the bill; the floor record notes First Substitute Senate Bill 79 passed by recorded vote (27 yeas, 0 nays, 2 absent) and was sent to the House for further consideration.
