Foster care; local departments to provide independent living services to person between age 18 & 21. (SB415)
Introduced By
Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel (R-Winchester)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✓ |
Passed Committee |
✓ |
Passed House |
✓ |
Passed Senate |
✓ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Foster care and independent living services. Requires local departments and child-placing agencies to provide independent living services to any person between 18 and 21 years of age who requests such services and is in the process of transitioning from foster care to self-sufficiency. The bill also extends the time period during which a person between the ages of 18 and 21 may request restoration of independent living services if they previously terminated such services. Local departments are required to provide a person who chooses to leave foster care or terminate independent living services written notice of their right to restore independent living services. Read the Bill »
Outcome
Bill Has Passed
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
01/13/2010 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/10 |
01/13/2010 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/10 10100421D |
01/13/2010 | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
01/14/2010 | Assigned Courts sub: Civil |
01/25/2010 | Impact statement from DPB (SB415) |
02/01/2010 | Rereferred from Courts of Justice (14-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/01/2010 | Rereferred to Rehabilitation and Social Services |
02/12/2010 | Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/12/2010 | Committee substitute printed 10104781D-S1 |
02/12/2010 | Substitute bill reprinted 10104781D-S1 |
02/15/2010 | Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/16/2010 | Read second time |
02/16/2010 | Reading of substitute waived |
02/16/2010 | Committee substitute agreed to 10104781D-S1 |
02/16/2010 | Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB415S1 |
02/16/2010 | Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/16/2010 | Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/17/2010 | Placed on Calendar |
02/17/2010 | Read first time |
02/17/2010 | Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions |
02/19/2010 | Assigned HWI sub: #3 |
02/23/2010 | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (7-Y 0-N) |
02/24/2010 | Impact statement from DPB (SB415S1) |
02/25/2010 | Reported from Health, Welfare and Institutions with amendment (22-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/26/2010 | Read second time |
03/01/2010 | Read third time |
03/01/2010 | Committee amendment agreed to |
03/01/2010 | Engrossed by House as amended |
03/01/2010 | Passed House with amendment BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N) |
03/01/2010 | VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (99-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
03/03/2010 | House amendment agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
03/11/2010 | Enrolled |
03/11/2010 | Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB415ER) |
03/11/2010 | Signed by Speaker |
03/12/2010 | Impact statement from DPB (SB415ER) |
03/13/2010 | Signed by President |
04/08/2010 | G Approved by Governor-Chapter 257 (effective 7/1/10) |
04/08/2010 | G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0257) |
Comments
This is an outstanding idea to allow children aging out of foster care a second chance to receive services they need. Teenagers and young adults make bad decisions all the time, but former foster youth are struggling enough with the little help they receive, they need an opportunity to change their minds without losing the option of accessing this help and support. Everybody knows somebody who thought they could make it on their own, then only a month or two later realized they still needed help. This is a great, common sense bill that will support former foster youth as they complete school and training while learning to live independently. It will save money in the long run by helping the youth become truly financially independent slowly so as to possibly avoid a lifetime of government support or worse.
I am a social work graduate student and before this bill was introduced or passed I was advocating for change to allow for more time for re-entrance. The expanded allotted time would be more beneficial to serve the population of the foster youth transitioning into independence. By extending the allotted time it may cause a decrease of persons experiencing homelessness, poverty, substance abuse, and criminal activity. Foster care youth transitioning into independence are at a disadvantage compared to their peers due to not having a permanent support system, consequently leaving them at high risk for being incapable of succeeding and reaching their potential goals.
I understand that at the present time our state is experiencing a budget crisis however the state independent living programs is one hundred percent funded by federal monies. By implementing this change it will not cause an increase to Virginia state spending.
As an agent for social change I ask that Gov. McDonnell sign this bill to ensure that persons transitioning out of Virginia’s foster care system have the best future possible and are able to contribute to society.