A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Fresh Starts for Foster Youth Act requires States to include legal issues affecting youth in their case planning. It allows States to use funds from the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood for legal counseling access. States must certify that case planning considers legal issues regarding housing, education, employment, and family connections. This includes addressing state court records and matters of custody and permanency.
Yes· 3 of 14
- Scored +9
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
Specifically targets foster youth transitioning to adulthood by providing legal counseling and removing barriers.
- Scored +8
Would children be better off under this?
Provides significantly better case planning and legal support for children in foster care.
- Scored +7
Does this make housing cost less?
The bill requires states to consider legal issues affecting housing for foster youth in their case planning.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Access to Legal Help: By adding "legal counseling access" to subsection (a)(4) of section 477 of the Social Security Act, youth may have more support through the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program.
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Comprehensive Case Planning: Under section 2, subsection (b)(3)(L), States must ensure case planning considers legal issues that impact housing, education, employment, and family connections.
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Resolution of Legal Barriers: Section 2, subsection (b)(3)(L) specifically focuses on addressing state court records, legal recognition of family relationships, and custody and permanency matters for current and former foster youth.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts for individuals or groups are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Specifically targets foster youth transitioning to adulthood by providing legal counseling and removing barriers. Would children be better off under this? — Provides significantly better case planning and legal support for children in foster care. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Foster youth often fall into low-income brackets, and this bill provides them with necessary legal resources. Would students be better off under this? — The bill ensures that legal issues affecting education are considered in case planning for foster youth. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — Disproportionately high numbers of minority youth are in foster care and will benefit from increased legal support. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Disproportionately high numbers of minority youth are in foster care and will benefit from increased legal support. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Foster youth of all ethnicities benefit from expanded legal services. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — Foster youth of all ethnicities benefit from expanded legal services. Would white Americans be better off under this? — Foster youth of all ethnicities benefit from expanded legal services.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make housing cost less? — The bill requires states to consider legal issues affecting housing for foster youth in their case planning. Is this likely to reduce homelessness? — Addressing legal housing issues for foster youth can prevent homelessness during their transition to adulthood. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — By addressing legal barriers to employment and housing, the bill helps foster youth transition to independence.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — The bill enhances legal access and the resolution of court records and custody matters for foster youth. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill adds new certification requirements for States to receive certain federal funding.
- 6/16/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Sheldon WhitehouseDemocrat · Rhode Island