SB 1850

Present law authorizes the department of children's services ("department"") to place children removed from their home in the care of relative caregivers. As used in present law, a ""relative caregiver"" means a person within a first, second, or third degr ee of relationship to the parent or step-parent of a child who may be related through blood, marriage, or adoption. Present law establishes a ""Kinship Foster Care Program"" in the department. When a child has been removed from the child's home and is in the care, custody, or guardianship of the department, the department must attempt to place the child with a relative for kinship foster care. The department must establish eligibility standards for becoming a kinship foster parent. In determining whether placing a child in the custody of a relative caregiver is in the best interest of a child, this bill prohibits the department from requiring a relative caregiver to provide the child with the child's own bedroom, unless there are s pecific safety or medical reasons that would make placement of the child with another child unsafe. ON MARCH 2, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1850, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 makes a technical correction to the bill."