HB 19-1288: Foster Youth Sibling Bill of Rights

• Establishes the "Foster Youth Sibling Bill of Rights" to ensure foster youth can maintain relationships with siblings regardless of parental rights termination status.

• Grants foster youth 14 specific rights including placement together with siblings when in their best interests, close geographical proximity, frequent and meaningful contact, shared celebration of milestones, and annual receipt of sibling contact information.

• Requires the Department of Human Services to include sibling contact provisions in visitation plans, promote frequent contact through multiple methods (phone, text, video, in-person visits), and clarify that sibling visits cannot be restricted as behavioral consequences.

• Mandates county departments arrange sibling visits within reasonable timeframes if mutually requested, with sufficient frequency and duration to maintain continuity in sibling relationships, while allowing denials only if not in each sibling's best interests.

• Allows adult siblings to be considered as foster care providers, adoptive parents, and relative custodians for their siblings, and requires youth receive age-appropriate documents explaining their rights within 30 days of placement and annually.