FOSTERING CONNECTIONS PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

SB0075

SENATE BILL 75

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2026

INTRODUCED BY

Michael Padilla

AN ACT

RELATING TO CHILDREN; EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR THE FOSTERING
CONNECTIONS PROGRAM.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

SECTION 1.
Section 32A-26-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2019,
Chapter 149, Section 3, as amended) is amended to read:

"32A-26-3. FOSTERING CONNECTIONS PROGRAM--ELIGIBILITY.--

A. The "fostering connections program" is
established in the department. The department shall make the
fostering connections program available, on a voluntary basis,
to an eligible adult who:

(1) has attained at least eighteen years of
age and [
who is younger than:

(a) as of July 1, 2020, nineteen years
of age;

(b) as of July 1, 2021, twenty years of
age; and

(c) after July 1, 2022, twenty-one years
of age
]
is younger than twenty-two years of age
;

(2) meets one of the following criteria:

(a) has attained at least eighteen years
of age [
and
]
while
: 1) [
was adjudicated
]
in the legal custody
of the department as a result of abuse and neglect proceedings,
families in need of court-ordered services proceedings or a
voluntary placement agreement
pursuant to the Children's Code
or its equivalent under tribal law; 2) [
was
] subject to a court
order
or voluntary placement agreement
that placement and care
be the responsibility of the department or the Indian tribe
that entered into an agreement with the department; and 3)
[
was
] subject to [
an
] out-of-home placement [
order
]; or

(b) attained at least fourteen years of
age when a guardianship assistance agreement or adoption
assistance agreement was in effect and whose guardianship
assistance agreement or adoption assistance agreement was
terminated or the guardian or parents are no longer willing to
provide emotional or financial support after the child attained
eighteen years of age;

(3) is:

(a) completing secondary education or an
educational program leading to an equivalent credential;

(b) enrolled in an institution that
provides post-secondary or vocational education;

(c) employed for at least eighty hours
per month;

(d) participating in a program or
activity designed to promote employment or remove barriers to
employment; or

(e) incapable of doing any of the
activities described in Subparagraphs (a) through (d) of this
paragraph due to a medical or behavioral condition that is
supported by regularly updated information in the transition
plan; and

(4) enters into a voluntary services and
support agreement with the department pursuant to the Fostering
Connections Act.

B. The citizenship or immigration status of a young
adult shall not be a factor when determining the young adult's
eligibility pursuant to this section."

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