AB 686 Summary

• Requires the Judicial Council to establish court rules authorizing Indian tribes to participate in child welfare proceedings via telephone or remote access without charging fees by July 1, 2021.

• Mandates that counties and foster family agencies apply prevailing social and cultural standards of the Indian community when approving resource families for Indian children whose tribes are not exercising approval rights.

• Requires the State Department of Social Services to issue all-county letters or guidance for consistent implementation of tribal cultural standards in resource family approvals.

• Clarifies that tribal home approvals meeting specific federal requirements are exempt from resource family approval requirements.

• Imposes state-mandated local program costs on counties for providing higher-level service in resource family approvals for Indian children.