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AB-1602 • 2026

Foster youth: disaster aid assistance.

Foster youth: disaster aid assistance.

Budget Children Housing
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Blanca Rubio
Last action
2026-04-15
Official status
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact amount of money available for the program and how it will be distributed are still uncertain.

Disaster Aid for Foster Youth

This law establishes a program and funding account to help foster children and their caregivers during disasters.

What This Bill Does

  • Establishes the Child Welfare Disaster Response Program administered by the State Department of Social Services.
  • Creates the Child Welfare Disaster Response Account to fund the program with money from the state legislature upon appropriation.
  • Sets rules for eligibility criteria and allows county child welfare agencies, county probation departments, or Indian tribes to apply for funds.
  • Requires funds awarded to be used to meet housing, clothing, transportation, and other tangible needs of foster children and youth and their caregivers within 180 days of a local emergency proclamation.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Foster children and youth
  • Caregivers of foster children and youth
  • County child welfare agencies
  • County probation departments
  • Indian tribes

Terms To Know

Child Welfare Disaster Response Program
A program established to provide financial assistance for the needs of foster children, youth, and their caregivers during disasters.
Foster youth
Children or young people in state care because they cannot live with their families.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The program requires legislative appropriation to fund the Child Welfare Disaster Response Account.
  • Details about how to apply and get help are still being decided by the department through all-county letters or similar written instructions.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-15 California Legislative Information

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

  2. 2026-03-11 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (March 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  3. 2026-02-02 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on HUM. S.

  4. 2026-01-17 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee February 16.

  5. 2026-01-16 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1602, as introduced, Blanca Rubio.
Foster youth: disaster aid assistance.
Existing law generally provides for the placement of foster youth in various placement settings and governs the provision of child welfare services, which is defined to mean public social services that are directed toward the accomplishment of specified purposes, including protecting and promoting the welfare of all children, preventing the unnecessary separation of children from their families, and restoring to their families children who have been removed.
Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to ensure that, among other things, emergency response services are coordinated with the implementation of specified program models. Existing law also requires each county to provide the department with a disaster response plan describing how county programs that receive federal assistance for child and family services would respond
to a disaster. Existing law also requires the department to review its disaster plan, revise the plan to clarify the role and responsibilities of the state in the event of a disaster, and consult with counties to identify opportunities for collaboration in the event of a disaster.
This bill would establish the Child Welfare Disaster Response Program, to be administered by the department. The bill would establish the Child Welfare Disaster Response Account to fund the program. The bill would require, upon appropriation by the Legislature, moneys in the Child Welfare Disaster Response Account to be used for purposes of the program and to support the needs of foster children and youth, as defined, and their caregivers during a disaster. The bill would require the department to determine eligibility criteria for applicants and would authorize county child welfare agencies, county probation departments, or Indian tribes, as specified, to apply for
funds. The bill would require funds awarded pursuant those provisions to be available to meet the housing, clothing, transportation, and other tangible needs of foster children and youth and their caregivers that occur within 180 days of a local emergency proclamation by a local government or a state of emergency proclamation by the Governor. The bill would authorize the department to implement, interpret, or make specific these provisions by means of all-county letters or similar written instructions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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