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CA AB2478
Bill
Status
Introduced
2/20/2026
Primary Sponsor
Nick Schultz
Click for details
AI Summary
- Requires the California Department of Social Services to adopt a kinship family approval process by January 1, 2028, allowing relatives, nonrelative extended family members, and extended family members of Indian children to become approved kinship families through home environment assessment and family engagement standards
- Defines "kinship family" as an individual or family who has met approval standards for providing care to children placed by county child welfare or probation departments by court order, or voluntarily placed by parents or guardians
- Mandates counties inform eligible caregivers of their options to choose between kinship family approval, resource family approval, or tribally approved homes for Indian children
- Expands court authority to place children on emergency or post-removal basis with nonrelative extended family members and extended family members regardless of criminal record exemption or approval status, if placement poses no health or safety risk
- Grants kinship families access to pupil educational records and extends confidentiality protections for kinship family application information, with false statements on applications constituting a misdemeanor
Legislative Description
Kinship family approval.
Last Action
Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and JUD.
3/9/2026
Committee Referrals
Human Services3/9/2026
Full Bill Text
No bill text available