This House resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that youth in the foster care system should have certain rights. The resolution lists ten specific rights: (1) to receive an education and, if they choose, remain in their original school; (2) to participate in age-appropriate extracurricular, cultural, and social activities; (3) to receive needed health services, including medical, dental, vision, and mental health care; (4) to freedom from abuse, neglect, or corporal punishment; (5) to be represented by, and to be able to speak to, a guardian or attorney ad litem; (6) to have adequate and healthy food, adequate clothing, and a safe and comfortable living environment; (7) to freedom from discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or disability; (8) to maintain, if they wish, contact with their siblings; (9) to regular and reasonable contact with their assigned caseworker or an employee of the agency responsible for their child welfare services; and (10) to be informed of their rights. The resolution cites several reports and studies about education gaps, maltreatment, racial disproportionality, the role of social workers, and sibling separation. It was introduced on November 20, 2025, and referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
The resolution states the House's support for these listed rights for foster youth and highlights findings from reports and studies. The text itself lists goals and concerns but does not include specific instructions, funding, or enforcement mechanisms in the language provided. No publicly available information on direct changes to services or laws is included in the text.
No publicly available information.
The sponsors of the resolution express that foster youth should have the ten rights listed above. The resolution cites data and reports showing educational gaps, instances of maltreatment, racial disproportionality in foster care, the importance of social workers, and harms from sibling separation to support its position. Sponsors named in the metadata include Emanuel Cleaver, Don Bacon, Lateefah Simon, Joyce Beatty, Shontel Brown, Dwight Evans, Gwen Moore, and Troy Carter.
No publicly available information.