August 27, 2026 · Human Services · 1,420 words · 10 speakers · 48 segments
The Senate Human Services Committee will come to order. Good morning. We are holding our committee hearings today in the Capitol Building, Room 113. We ask members to come, but we also particularly ask our authors to come join us here so that we can get going. Good point. I will ask to call a roll.
Becker? Here.
Becker, here.
Echobog? Here.
Echobog, here.
Laird? Here.
Laird, here.
Perez? Weber-Pearson?
We have a quorum. Quorum is present. Okay, we will go on a brief recess while we wait for authors. Okay, we have an author, and a good one at that. Senator Padilla. We have SB 534. We can go ahead when ready.
Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members. Thanks for your patience. I'm pleased to present SB 534, which requires counties to provide foster youth before they turn 18, the last known whereabouts, and contact information for their parents and siblings. After exiting the foster care system, many young people face years marked by housing instability, unemployment, and economic hardship. California law currently requires counties to provide youth aging out of foster care with essential information including identification, proof of citizenship, and guidance on housing and employment. However, when counties possess contact information for birth parents or extended family, there is no current requirement to share this information even when the child requests it. Studies have shown that many foster youth say they wish to get more information from their case workers related to their birth family or their family history before exiting the system. Further research has also found that maintaining or reestablishing these relationships has a critical role in young persons' stability, identity, and long-term well-being. This bill promotes informed choice, strengthens relationships, ensures access to family contact information, and supports better long-term outcomes for youth transitioning out of foster care. This bill passed the Assembly 4 with bipartisan support. I'm pleased to have with me today Ed Howard on behalf of the Children's Advocacy Institute.
Good morning Mr. Chair and members, Ed Howard, Senior Counsel of the Children's Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law. The principle behind this bill we think is a simple one Everybody everybody deserves a chance at having a family especially our former foster children Respectfully ask for your high vote
Okay, thank you. Are there anyone else in support? Anyone else in support? Anyone who'd like to come to the mic in opposition? See none. We'll take it back to the committee. Any comments?
I think it's a good bill.
Okay. I appreciate that.
Yeah, this will certainly make the information easier for youth to access for those who want it. So I will be supporting the bill today.
I appreciate that. Would you like to close?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.
Okay. We have a motion from Senator Laird. Do you want to please call the roll? File item 1, SB 534. motion is that the assembly amendments be concurred in Becker I Becker I a Choboag layered layered I Perez Weber Pearson okay that is two to zero and we will keep it open thank you senator be a All right, we'll go into another brief recess while we wait for our final author.
Good morning. Well, which team are you a fan of?
The best football team, you know, world champion, Graham.
I was going to be supportive, but we'll see.
Let's set the evidence.
I should have waited to say that.
Exactly.
Until after the vote.
Yes.
Yes.
Senator Richardson, please, we'd love to have you come up and present SB 1322.
And I have a representative, Chris, with the tribal business of mine.
Okay. Okay. All right.
Good morning, Mr. Chair and members. First, California is home to 109 federally recognized Native American tribes. Tribal communities are more than twice as likely to experience poverty and homelessness compared to the rest of the state's population, not to mention the lack of safe water, basic utilities and working plumbing systems. While the Department of Social Services has taken steps to address this reality, its community care expansion program remains complex for tribal applicants seeking to navigate state regulations, property ownership rights, and preserving tribal sovereignty. To cut to the chase of this, because I know we have all many competing meetings, I was actually at a meeting and heard that the application that we have at the state oftentimes puts a tribal nation in a difficult position of having to relinquish sovereignty to be able to get these grants And that certainly should not be the intention And so the federal government apparently has a very good program. We want to mirror that. And in order to do that, we need representatives who understand the tribal nations, understand their rights, their sovereign property. And so this bill enables them to do so. And with that, I'm going to close and respectfully ask for your support. The reason why we came back is the department changed, which is why it's my understanding we're here in this committee at this late hour.
Okay, thank you. And it's early.
Chris Lynch from Executive Officer of the California Tribal Business Alliance. were in support. Also here on behalf of Paula Banda Mission Indians, who's the sponsor in support. And essentially, if I'd put it in a nutshell, AB 1010, Eddie Garcia in 2019 kind of opened tribes' eligibility for housing programs. And, you know, the tribes had generally worked with the federal government on programs, and the state began to offer its services and programs up to the tribes. This is just applying a best practice that would help recognize tribal sovereignty, things they can and can't do with the land. They can't collateralize federal land, things like that, and include the tribes in the development of these grants. It's a process that would use best practices. Senator Richardson came down to a meeting, listened, and said, hey, I was in Congress. I get it. So let's do it.
Excellent. Excellent. Any of those in support? I see none. Anyone else in opposition? Anyone want to comment in opposition to the bill? Okay. Well, we'll take it back to the committee.
I studied the bill. I think it's appropriate.
All right. We have a motion. I want to thank you, Senator Richards, thank you for your work on this bill. Bill thank you for coming back to our committee we are in support of Bill I'm in support of the bill would you like to close in respect to all of my northern California friends I respectfully ask for your I vote on 1322 well I really think about this one now it's a tough it's become a very tough yeah it's become a tough Oh, wow. This is sincere. Yeah. Well, especially because it was a preseason game. So you know it's definitely sincere. Definitely sincere. OK, we have a motion. Will you please call the roll? Sure. File item 2 SB 1322 The motion is that the assembly amendments be concurred in Becker Becker aye Echoboag Laird Laird aye Perez Weber Pearson okay we'll put that on call but it's two to zero thank you thank you have a good day everyone we have a brief recess we wait for at least one more vote Okay, we'd like to open the roll on our two items, starting with SB 534. File item 1, SB 534. The motion is that the assembly amendments be concurred in. Echobo. Aye. Echobo, aye.
Perez. Weber Pearson.
3-0. We will keep that on call. And then how about file item 2, SB 1322. File Item 2, SB 1322. The motion is that that Assembly Amendment be concurred in. Echobo. Aye. Echobo, aye.
Perez. Weber Pearson.
0. We'll keep that on call, too. Thank you. Thank you for getting over promptly. All right, we will reopen the roll and call absent members, starting with file item 1, SB 534, by Senator Padilla. File item 1, SB 534, the motion is that assembly amendments be concurred in.
Perez? Aye.
Perez, aye.
Weber Pearson?
4-0, that bill is out. File item 2, SB 1322, the motion is that the assembly amendments be concurred in.
Perez? Aye.
Perez, aye.
Weber Pearson?
4-0, out. 40-0. That bill is out as well. Thank you, Senator Perez. This concludes what I believe will be our final meeting of the Human Services Committee. Thank you to the team. We are adjourned.