HF3024

HF3024 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Foster youth bill of rights established.

Related bill: SF3154

AI Generated Summary

Purpose of the Bill

This bill aims to establish a "Foster Youth Bill of Rights" in Minnesota, ensuring that children and youths in foster care receive the same or better care and rights as their peers who are not in foster care.

Main Provisions

Physical and Emotional Safety: Ensures foster youth are safe from physical, verbal, and sexual abuse, excessive medication, and discrimination. It also guarantees protection from group punishment, unnecessary restraints, or threats affecting their placement.
Basic Needs and Normalcy: Ensures basic needs are met, such as appropriate clothing, nutrition, and access to personal belongings. It promotes normalcy by allowing participation in age-appropriate activities.
Privacy and Communication: Grants rights to privacy in communication, personal data, and personal spaces. Promotes minimal interference unless safety concerns arise.
Health and Wellness: Guarantees access to necessary health care services, freedom from excessive medication, and support in making health-related decisions.
Family and Relative Connections: Supports maintaining connections with biological family members and siblings, encouraging regular contact and visits.
Community and Cultural Connections: Promotes connections with cultural and community networks, preceding foster care, supporting cultural identity and practices.
Education and Activities: Ensures stable education, support for academic achievements, and participation in extracurricular activities without stigma from foster care status.
Case Management and Planning: Provides foster youths with detailed involvement in their case planning, including decision-making and legal representation rights.
Transition to Adulthood: Offers support for transitioning out of foster care, entailing independent living plans, educational opportunities, and access to vital documents.
Pregnant and Parenting Rights: Protects the parental rights of foster youths who are pregnant or parenting, ensuring access to necessary resources and maintaining custody unless otherwise mandated by the court.
Feedback and Grievances: Establishes mechanisms for foster youths to file complaints and ensure their rights are upheld.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Introduces comprehensive rights specific to foster youths in Minnesota.
Establishes the framework for addressing grievances regarding the violation of foster youths' rights.
Codifies procedures to ensure the protection and development of foster youths’ personal, cultural, and educational needs within the state’s jurisdiction.

Relevant Terms

foster youth, bill of rights, physical and emotional safety, privacy, health care, family connections, education, cultural identity, transition to adulthood, pregnant and parenting foster youth, grievance policies

Bill text versions

Introduction PDF file

Actions

Date	Chamber	Where	Type	Name	Committee Name
March 31, 2025	House	Floor	Action	Introduction and first reading, referred to	Children and Families Finance and Policy

Citations

[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Name calling, derogatory statements, insults, harassment, threats, shaming, humiliation, and hate speech are included in the definition."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Relating to the definition of abuse, which now explicitly includes additional forms of non-physical harm.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "260C.007",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 5"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Foster youth definition is expanded to include individuals up to age 21 under certain conditions."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Relates to the definition of 'foster youth' concerning age and conditions for foster care.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "260C.007",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 18"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Specifically defines foster youth in context of support and care."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Pertains to the statutory definition included in the new foster youth rights.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "260D.02",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 10"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Includes eligibility criteria for individuals to remain in foster care until age 21."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Relates to extended foster care provisions.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "260C.451",
    "subdivision": ""
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Includes labor trafficking as a recognized form of exploitation against foster youth."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Definition of labor trafficking applied in the context of foster care.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "609.281",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 5"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Sex trafficking explicitly noted as a violation of foster youth rights."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Definition of sex trafficking applied in the context of foster care protections.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "609.321",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 7a"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Ensures foster children access to necessary services and protections."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Support services and protections for foster children are mandated.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "260C.212",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 13"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Ensures definitions are consistent with current laws concerning disabilities."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Pertains to the definition of disability.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "363A.03",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 12"
  }
]