The Fostering Connections Resource Center gratefully acknowledges the National Conference of State Legislatures for sharing its tracking information about pending and enacted legislation. Please visit NCSL for additional information.
Enacted Health Legislation
Child Welfare Services for Foster Care & Adoption
State: California
Bill: SB 597, Chapter 339; Status: Enacted
Summary: Makes amendments necessary to be consistent with the requirements set forth in the federal Fostering Connections Act. These include requiring the State Department of Social Services to exercise diligence to identify and provide notice to all adult grandparents and close relatives of the child; requiring the Department, in consultation with pediatricians, health care experts, and experts in and recipients of child welfare services to develop a plan for the ongoing oversight and coordination of health care services for a child in a foster care placement; and requiring the department or licensed adoption agency to provide information regarding the federal adoption tax credit for any individual who is adopting or considering adopting a child in foster care.
Sponsored by Senator Liu
Children
State: Oklahoma
Bill: HB 1734, Chap. 338; Status: Enacted
Summary: Creates a Passport Program in the Department of Human Services to compile education, medical, and behavioral health records for children in protective custody, kinship care, and foster care. The Passport shall accompany each child to wherever the child resides so long as the child is in the custody of the Department .
Sponsored by Representative Peters
Older Youth and Health
State: Oregon
Bill: HB 3664; Status: Enacted
Summary: Relates to medical assistance for individuals under the age of 21 who age out of foster care
Sponsored by Committee on Health Care
Pending Health Legislation
Medi-Cal for Foster Children
State: California
Bill: SB 114; Status: Pending
Summary: Establishes that independent foster care adolescents, on their 18th birthday, to be deemed eligible for medical benefits and automatically enrolled in benefits without requiring a new application and without an interruption in coverage.
Sponsored by Senator Liu
Medical Assistance to Age 21
State: Minnesota
Bill: HB 934; Status: Pending-Carryover
Summary: Requires foster children in care on their 18th birthdays to be enrolled in medical assistance until their 21st birthdays.
Sponsored by Representatives Loeffler, Thiessen, Hosch, and Clark
Medical Assistance to Age 21
State: Minnesota
Bill: SB 665; Status: Pending-Carryover
Summary: Requires foster children in care on their 18th birthdays to be enrolled in medical assistance until their 21st birthdays.
Sponsored by Senators Lourey, Dibble, Torres Ray, and Higgins
