California 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: To Executive 4 D cosponsors

AB 273 — Foster care: missing children and nonminor dependents.

Last action — Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Assembly
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “To Executive” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

Vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom (Democratic) on January 25, 2024.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge a child to be a dependent of the court under certain circumstances, including when the child suffered, or there is a substantial risk that the child will suffer, serious physical harm or illness as a result of the failure or inability of their parent or guardian to adequately supervise or protect the child. Existing law requires the court to review the status of every dependent child in foster care periodically, but no less frequently than once every 6 months. Existing law subjects a minor between 12 and 17 years of age, inclusive, who violates any federal, state, or local law or ordinance to, and a minor under 12 years of age who is alleged to have committed specified serious offenses to, the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge the minor to be a ward of the court. Existing law generally provides for the placement of foster youth in various placement settings and governs the provision of child welfare services, as specified. Existing law requires county child welfare agencies and probation departments to develop and implement specific protocols to expeditiously locate any child or nonminor dependent missing from foster care, including, but not limited to, the timeframe for reporting missing youth and the individuals or entities entitled to notice that a youth is missing, and requires the social worker or probation officer to determine the primary factors that contributed to the child or nonminor dependent running away or otherwise being absent from care, among other things. This bill, the Luke Madrigal Act, would, among other things, additionally require the social worker or probation officer, when they receive information that a child receiving child welfare services is absent from foster care to, among other things, engage in ongoing and intensive due diligence efforts, as defined, to locate, place, and stabilize the child, request that the juvenile court schedule a hearing to review the placement and the ongoing and intensive due diligence efforts to locate and return the child, notify specified individuals whose whereabouts are known about the hearing, and prepare, submit, and serve a report at the hearing and any subsequent hearings describing their ongoing and intensive due diligence efforts to locate, place, and stabilize the child. The bill would require the court to consider the safety of the child receiving child welfare services who is absent from foster care to determine the extent of the activities and compliance of the county with the case plan in making ongoing and intensive due diligence efforts to locate and return the child to a safe placement, and to continue to periodically review their case at least every 30 calendars days, as specified. The bill would define "absent from foster care" to mean when the whereabouts of a child receiving child welfare services is unknown to the county child welfare agency or probation department or when the county child welfare agency or probation department has located the child receiving child welfare services in a location not approved by the court that may pose a risk to the child. The bill would also define "child receiving child welfare services" to include a child or nonminor dependent placed in a specified foster care placement or in the home of an emergency caregiver, and dependents, nonminor dependents, wards, and minors who have been taken into temporary custody pursuant to specified provisions and who are in foster care. By increasing the duties of county child welfare agencies and probation departments, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.

  2. Consideration of Governor's veto pending.

  3. Vetoed by Governor.

  4. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.

  5. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 80. Noes 0. Page 3545.).

  6. In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

  7. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2764.).

  8. Ordered to special consent calendar.

  9. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  10. Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

  11. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (September 1).

  12. In committee: Referred to APPR suspense file.

  13. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  14. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (July 6).

  15. From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  16. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 19). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  17. Referred to Coms. on HUMAN S. and JUD.

  18. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  19. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 1750.)

  20. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  21. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 18).

  22. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  23. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  24. Read second time and amended.

  25. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (March 14).

  26. Referred to Com. on JUD.

  27. From printer. May be heard in committee February 23.

  28. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 4 co-sponsors · 117 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (4)

Not signed on (117)

117 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 117 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

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Votes

AB 273 Ramos Concurrence in Senate Amendments

Passed 80 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 47000
Republican 13000
Unaffiliated 20000
Total 80000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (80)
Member Party Vote
Villapudua — Yea
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
Rendon — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Ting — Yea
Wood — Yea
Low — Yea
Holden — Yea
Mathis — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Essayli — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Jim Patterson — Yea
Luz Rivas — Yea
Vince Fong — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Addis, Dawn Democratic Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Alvarez, David Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bains, Jasmeet Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Bennett, Steve Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Lee, Alex Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
McKinnor, Tina Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Ortega, Liz Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Schiavo, Pilar Democratic Yea
Soria, Esmeralda Democratic Yea
Valencia, Avelino Democratic Yea
Ward, Christopher M. Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Zbur, Rick Chavez Democratic Yea
Alanis, Juan Republican Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Davies, Laurie Republican Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Yea
Hoover, Josh Republican Yea
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea
Ta, Tri Republican Yea
Wallis, Greg Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Special Consent AB273 Ramos et al.

Passed 39 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 11000
Democratic 21001
Republican 7000
Total 39001
% of votes cast 98%0%0%3%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Roth — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Newman — Yea
Min — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Blakespear, Catherine S. Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Not Voting
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Menjivar, Caroline Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Rubio, Susan Democratic Yea
Smallwood-Cuevas, Lola Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wahab, Aisha Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Alvarado-Gil, Marie Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Yea
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar

Passed 11 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 2000
Democratic 8000
Republican 1000
Total 11000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Min — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

AB 273 Ramos Assembly Third Reading

Passed 78 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 46001
Republican 13000
Unaffiliated 19001
Total 78002
% of votes cast 98%0%0%3%
How each member voted (80)
Member Party Vote
Maienschein — Yea
Ting — Yea
Wood — Yea
Low — Yea
Holden — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Essayli — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Mathis — Not Voting
Villapudua — Yea
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
Rendon — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Jim Patterson — Yea
Luz Rivas — Yea
Vince Fong — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Addis, Dawn Democratic Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Not Voting
Alvarez, David Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bains, Jasmeet Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Bennett, Steve Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Lee, Alex Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
McKinnor, Tina Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Ortega, Liz Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Schiavo, Pilar Democratic Yea
Soria, Esmeralda Democratic Yea
Valencia, Avelino Democratic Yea
Ward, Christopher M. Democratic Yea
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Zbur, Rick Chavez Democratic Yea
Alanis, Juan Republican Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Davies, Laurie Republican Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Yea
Hoover, Josh Republican Yea
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea
Ta, Tri Republican Yea
Wallis, Greg Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass.

Passed 15 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 9001
Republican 3000
Unaffiliated 3000
Total 15001
% of votes cast 94%0%0%6%
How each member voted (16)
Member Party Vote
Holden — Yea
Mathis — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
Ortega, Liz Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Pellerin, Gail Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Not Voting
Weber Pierson, M.D., Akilah Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar

Passed 11 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 7000
Republican 2000
Unaffiliated 2000
Total 11000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Maienschein — Yea
Essayli — Yea
Connolly, Damon Democratic Yea
Haney, Matt Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Pacheco, Blanca Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Dixon, Diane Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights labor
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Frequently asked questions

What does AB 273 do?
Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge a child to be a dependent of the court under certain circumstances, including when the child suffered, or there is a substantial risk that the child will suffer, serious physical harm or illness as a result of the failure or inability of their parent or guardian to adequately supervise or protect the child. Existing law requires the court to review the status of every dependent child in foster care periodically, but no less frequently than once every 6 months. Existing law subjects a minor between 12 and 17 years of age, inclusive, who violates any federal, state, or local law or ordinance to, and a minor under 12 years of age who is alleged to have committed specified serious offenses to, the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which may adjudge the minor to be a ward of the court. Existing law generally provides for the placement of foster youth in various placement settings and governs the provision of child welfare services, as specified. Existing law requires county child welfare agencies and probation departments to develop and implement specific protocols to expeditiously locate any child or nonminor dependent missing from foster care, including, but not limited to, the timeframe for reporting missing youth and the individuals or entities entitled to notice that a youth is missing, and requires the social worker or probation officer to determine the primary factors that contributed to the child or nonminor dependent running away or otherwise being absent from care, among other things. This bill, the Luke Madrigal Act, would, among other things, additionally require the social worker or probation officer, when they receive information that a child receiving child welfare services is absent from foster care to, among other things, engage in ongoing and intensive due diligence efforts, as defined, to locate, place, and stabilize the child, request that the juvenile court schedule a hearing to review the placement and the ongoing and intensive due diligence efforts to locate and return the child, notify specified individuals whose whereabouts are known about the hearing, and prepare, submit, and serve a report at the hearing and any subsequent hearings describing their ongoing and intensive due diligence efforts to locate, place, and stabilize the child. The bill would require the court to consider the safety of the child receiving child welfare services who is absent from foster care to determine the extent of the activities and compliance of the county with the case plan in making ongoing and intensive due diligence efforts to locate and return the child to a safe placement, and to continue to periodically review their case at least every 30 calendars days, as specified. The bill would define "absent from foster care" to mean when the whereabouts of a child receiving child welfare services is unknown to the county child welfare agency or probation department or when the county child welfare agency or probation department has located the child receiving child welfare services in a location not approved by the court that may pose a risk to the child. The bill would also define "child receiving child welfare services" to include a child or nonminor dependent placed in a specified foster care placement or in the home of an emergency caregiver, and dependents, nonminor dependents, wards, and minors who have been taken into temporary custody pursuant to specified provisions and who are in foster care. By increasing the duties of county child welfare agencies and probation departments, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Who sponsors AB 273?
AB 273 is sponsored by Ramos, James C. (Democratic), Bryan, Isaac G. (Democratic), Essayli, Gipson, Mike A. (Democratic), and Rubio, Blanca E. (Democratic).
What is the current status of AB 273?
This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “To Executive” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track AB 273?
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