AB 260 — Foster care: parenting youth.

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 has been left without any provision for support or when a parent or guardian fails to provide the child with adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical treatment. Existing law provides that the Legislature declares that a child whose parent has been adjudged a dependent child of the court shall not be considered at risk of abuse or neglect solely because of the age, dependent status, or foster care status of the parent. This bill would additionally declare that a child whose parent has been adjudged a dependent child of the court shall not be considered at risk of abuse or neglect solely on the basis of information concerning the parent's placement history, past behaviors, health or mental health diagnoses occurring prior to the pregnancy, except as specified. Existing law provides that reunification services need not be provided to the family of a dependent child under certain circumstances. This bill would enact certain exceptions to that provision that would apply in the case of a child for whom one or both minor parents have been adjudged to be dependent children of the juvenile court, thereby providing the family access to reunification services. The bill would also require, in those cases, a party seeking an involuntary foster care placement of, or termination of parental rights over, a child born to a parent or parents who were minors at the time of the child's birth to demonstrate to the court that reasonable efforts were made to provide remedial services designed to prevent the removal of the child from the minor parent or parents, that these efforts have proved unsuccessful, and that those efforts utilize the available resources of the child and his or her minor parent or parents extended family, social services agencies, caregivers, and other available service providers. By imposing a higher level of service on county employees, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires the clerk of the superior court to open a separate court file for nonminor dependents under the dependency, delinquency, or transition jurisdiction of the court and limits access to those files. This bill would require the clerk of the superior court to maintain court files and records concerning a minor dependent parent or a nonminor dependent parent separate from court files and records concerning his or her child, as specified. The bill would authorize dependency court records concerning a minor dependent parent or a nonminor dependent parent to be disclosed to the county and the court in the child's dependency proceedings, but would require information from the records to only be admitted as evidence in the child's dependency proceedings pursuant to a certain court order. The bill would authorize any party to the child's dependency proceedings to request the admittance of the records concerning a minor dependent parent or a nonminor dependent parent as evidence at any stage of the child's dependency proceedings. Existing law declares the intent of the Legislature to maintain the continuity of the family unit and to support and preserve families headed by minor dependent parents and nonminor dependent parents. Existing law requires foster care placements for minor parents and their children to demonstrate a willingness and ability to provide support and assistance to minor parents and their children. This bill would additionally require those foster care placements to support the preservation of the family unit and to refer a minor dependent parent or nonminor dependent parent to preventive services to address any concerns regarding the safety, health, or well-being of the child, and to help prevent, whenever possible, the filing of a petition to declare the child a dependent of the juvenile court. 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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.

Bill Text

• Chaptered 10/06/15 - Chaptered Current pdf October 06, 2015
• Enrolled 09/15/15 - Enrolled pdf September 15, 2015
• Amended 08/17/15 - Amended Senate pdf August 17, 2015
• Amended 07/06/15 - Amended Senate pdf July 06, 2015
• Amended 04/07/15 - Amended Assembly pdf April 07, 2015
• Introduced 02/09/15 - Introduced pdf February 09, 2015
• AB260 View text html

Action History

1. October 06, 2015

   Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 511, Statutes of 2015.

2. October 06, 2015

   Approved by the Governor.

3. September 18, 2015

   Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

4. September 10, 2015

   Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3075.).

5. September 09, 2015

   In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

6. September 09, 2015

   Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2612.).

7. August 31, 2015

   Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

8. August 27, 2015

   From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 27).

9. August 17, 2015

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

10. August 17, 2015

    In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

11. July 06, 2015

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

12. July 02, 2015

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 30).

13. June 23, 2015

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 23). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

14. June 11, 2015

    Referred to Coms. on HUMAN S. and JUD.

15. June 02, 2015

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

16. June 02, 2015

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 1768.)

17. May 28, 2015

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

18. May 28, 2015

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (May 28).

19. May 06, 2015

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

20. April 21, 2015

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

21. April 15, 2015

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

22. April 08, 2015

    Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.

23. April 07, 2015

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

24. March 24, 2015

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

25. February 17, 2015

    Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and JUD.

26. February 10, 2015

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 12.

27. February 09, 2015

    Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

• Lopez · Primary
• Robert Garcia · Cosponsor

Votes

Subjects