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Committee advances bill to codify foster youth bill of rights, adds translation requirement
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Summary
The Family, Children and Human Affairs Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 15 as amended to codify the foster youth bill of rights in state code, require annual distribution to foster youth, include youth with lived experience in updates, and provide translated copies for youth with limited English proficiency.
The Family, Children and Human Affairs Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 15 as amended Wednesday, endorsing a proposal to codify a foster youth bill of rights into state law and require its annual distribution to young people in care.
Sen. Walker, the bill's sponsor, told the committee SB 15 would "put into code" an existing foster youth bill of rights, create parity with the foster parent bill of rights codified in 2018, and require periodic updates that include "youth with lived experience." He said the Department of Child Services (DCS) has indicated it can provide translations and administer the requirement within existing budget and staffing.
Supporters told the committee the measure aims to reduce confusion for young people entering foster care. "I received the foster youth bill of rights and I was able to advocate for myself to stay at my school," testified Jada Curtis, who said she aged out of the state system. Maggie Stevens, president and CEO of Foster Success, said the bill helps ensure older foster youth's voices are "heard, supported, and empowered." Dione Dior Valentina, founding executive director of Strength Over Struggle and a former foster youth, told the panel the bill strengthens transparency and accountability by standardizing definitions and distribution.
The chairman's amendment adopted for committee consideration explicitly requires translated copies of the bill of rights for foster youth with limited English proficiency; Senator Walker cited examples of translations already provided by DCS this year, including Burmese and Haitian Creole, and linked the amendment to existing state policy for K'12 students with limited English proficiency. The bill also contains an age'appropriate definition so materials are tailored for older youth who can use the information, the sponsor said.
Committee members asked technical questions about the bill's language. Representative Carolyn Jackson asked why a vehicle liability provision appears in section 2; Senator Walker explained the provision reflects existing, age'based definitions and that the insurance language targets older foster youth who may lack a cosigner. Representative Cindy Ledbetter added that the code language addresses situations where a foster youth does not have someone to cosign for liability coverage.
After testimony and brief discussion, Representative Lori Goss Reeves moved to advance the bill as amended. The committee approved the motion by roll call: Chair Dale Devon and nine members voted yes; four members were recorded as excused. The motion passed and SB 15 moved out of the committee as amended.
The committee did not record any formal amendments beyond the chairman's language on translations during the session; the bill now moves to the next legislative step as determined by legislative procedure.
