[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1439 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1439

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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 21, 2015

Mr. Grassley (for himself and Mr. Reed) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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 age 21.''; 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 up to 
                age 21, 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 age 23.''; 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 age 21 (age 23, 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 up to 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 ``(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 up to 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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