[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3160 Introduced in House (IH)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3160

To amend part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to allow States 
  that provide foster care for children up to age 21 to serve former 
   foster youths through age 23 under the John H. Chafee Foster Care 
                         Independence Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 22, 2015

 Ms. Bass (for herself, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Marino, Mr. Langevin, Mrs. 
 Black, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Ms. Clarke of New York, Mr. Rangel, Ms. 
 Norton, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mrs. Lawrence, 
 Ms. Judy Chu of California, Ms. Lee, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Sean Patrick 
 Maloney of New York, Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mrs. Napolitano, 
 Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Doggett, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Jackson 
Lee, Mr. Honda, Mr. Pocan, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Nadler, 
Mr. Barletta, Mr. Keating, and Mrs. Hartzler) introduced the following 
      bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to allow States 
  that provide foster care for children up to age 21 to serve former 
   foster youths through age 23 under the John H. Chafee Foster Care 
                         Independence Program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Foster Youth Independence Act of 
2015''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN STATES TO SERVE FORMER FOSTER YOUTHS UP 
              TO AGE 23 UNDER THE JOHN H. CHAFEE FOSTER CARE 
              INDEPENDENCE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 477(b)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 677(b)(3)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A)--
                    (A) by inserting ``(i)'' before ``A 
                certification'';
                    (B) by striking ``children who have left foster 
                care'' and all that follows through the period and 
                inserting ``youths who have aged out of foster care and 
                have not attained 21 years of age.''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(ii) If the State has elected under section 
                475(8)(B) to extend eligibility for foster care to all 
                children who have not attained 21 years of age, or if 
                the Secretary determines that the State agency 
                responsible for administering the State plans under 
                this part and part B uses State funds or any other 
                funds not provided under this part to provide services 
                and assistance for youths who have aged out of foster 
                care that are comparable to the services and assistance 
                such youths would receive if the State had made such an 
                election, the certification required under clause (i) 
                may provide that the State will provide assistance and 
                services to youths who have aged out of foster care and 
                have not attained 23 years of age.''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``children who have 
        left foster care'' and all that follows through the period and 
        inserting ``youths who have aged out of foster care and have 
        not attained 21 years of age (or 23 years of age, in the case 
        of a State with a certification under clause (i) of 
        subparagraph (A) to provide assistance and services to youths 
        who have aged out of foster care and have not attained such 
        age, in accordance with clause (ii) of subparagraph (A)).''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 477(a)(5) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 
677(a)(5)) is amended by inserting ``(or 23 years of age, in the case 
of a State with a certification under clause (i) of subsection 
(b)(3)(A) to provide assistance and services to youths who have aged 
out of foster care and have not attained such age, in accordance with 
clause (ii) of such subsection)'' after ``21 years of age''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section take 
effect on October 1, 2015.
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