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SB-534 • 2026

Dependent children: information related to family.

Dependent children: information related to family.

Children Education Energy Housing Labor Taxes
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Padilla
Last action
2026-06-04
Official status
Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's provisions related to Green Empowerment Zones are not directly explained in plain language here as they pertain more to economic development rather than family information for dependent children.

Dependent Children: Family Information

The bill requires county welfare departments to provide dependent minors and nonminors with information about their parents' and siblings' last known whereabouts and contact details, while allowing them to opt out of receiving this information.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires county welfare departments to give dependent minors and nonminors the option to receive information about their parents' and siblings' last known locations and contact details.
  • Allows dependent minors and nonminors to choose not to get this family information if they do not want it.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Dependent minors and nonminors who are involved with the juvenile court system.
  • County welfare departments that handle cases of dependent children.

Terms To Know

Nonminor
A person who is no longer a minor but was previously under the care of the juvenile court as a dependent child.
Juvenile Court
A special court that deals with cases involving children and teenagers, especially those related to family issues or legal problems.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a dependent minor or nonminor chooses to opt out of receiving the information about their parents' whereabouts.
  • It is unclear how this new requirement will affect the workload and resources needed by county welfare departments.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-04 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.

  2. 2026-04-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E.D., G., & H.I.

  3. 2025-05-29 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on E.D., G., & H.I.

  4. 2025-05-15 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  5. 2025-05-15 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 34. Noes 0. Page 1090.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  6. 2025-05-08 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to consent calendar.

  7. 2025-05-07 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 1038.) (May 7).

  8. 2025-04-07 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 10. Noes 0. Page 680.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.

  9. 2025-04-04 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 7 in L. GOV. pending receipt.

  10. 2025-03-18 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 7.

  11. 2025-03-05 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and L. GOV.

  12. 2025-02-21 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.

  13. 2025-02-20 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 534, as amended, Padilla.
Green Empowerment Zone for the Salton Sea and Southeastern Desert Valleys.
Dependent children: information related to family.
Existing law establishes the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, which is permitted to adjudge children who have suffered abuse or neglect to be dependents of the court under certain circumstances, and prescribes various hearings and other procedures for these purposes. Existing law requires the county welfare department to submit reports at the first regularly scheduled review hearing after a dependent minor has attained 16 years of age and at the last regularly scheduled review hearing before a dependent minor attains 18 years of age, and at every regularly scheduled review hearing thereafter, verifying that the county welfare department has provided certain information, documents, and services to the minor or nonminor.
Existing law prohibits the court from
terminating dependency jurisdiction over a nonminor dependent until the county welfare department has submitted a report verifying specified information, documents, and services have been provided to the nonminor, including the nonminor’s family history and placement history.
This bill would additionally require the above-described assistance include providing the minor or nonminor the last known whereabouts of their parents and siblings and the last known contact information for them. The bill would require that the minor or nonminor have the option to decline this information.
By increasing the duties of county welfare departments, this bill would impose 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.
Existing law establishes procedures for the formation of infrastructure financing districts, enhanced infrastructure financing districts, infrastructure and revitalization financing districts, community revitalization and investment authorities, and public-private partnerships, as specified, to undertake various economic development projects, including financing public facilities and infrastructure, affordable housing, and economic revitalization. Existing law, until January 1, 2028, authorizes the establishment of a Green Empowerment Zone for the Northern Waterfront area of the County of Contra Costa for the purpose of building upon the comparative advantage provided by the regional concentration of highly skilled energy industry workers by prioritizing access to tax incentives, grants, and loan programs, among other incentives.
This bill,
until January 1, 2035, would authorize establishment of a Green Empowerment Zone for the Salton Sea and Southeastern Desert Valleys (empowerment zone). The bill would authorize the empowerment zone to be composed of specified land and communities within the Imperial, Eastern Coachella, and Palo Verde Valleys, upon adoption of a resolution by the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, and would provide for the empowerment zone to be governed by a board of directors, as specified. The bill would task the empowerment zone with various duties, including, among other things, identification of projects and programs that will best utilize public dollars, distribute benefits to disinvested communities, and most quickly improve the economic vitality of California’s southeastern desert valleys, as specified, in a coordinated effort to support the development and equitable transition to a clean energy economy. The bill would require the board of directors, beginning on January 1, 2027, to submit an annual progress
report to the Legislature and the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, as specified. The bill would require the empowerment zone, commencing on January 1, 2027, as specified, to post the above-described report on its internet website and to submit a letter to the Legislature informing the Legislature that the report has been posted.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Southeastern Desert Valleys.

Current Bill Text

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