Requires local social services districts to provide luggage to children in foster care, the official text

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9482
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              January 7, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. HEVESI -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Children and Families
 
 AN  ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring local
   social services districts to provide luggage  to  children  in  foster
   care
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Section 398-f of the social services law,  as  added  by  a
 chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the social services law relating to
 requiring  the office of children and family services to provide luggage
 to youth in foster care, as proposed in  legislative  bills  numbers  S.
 3781 and A. 5434, is amended to read as follows:
   § 398-f. Duty  to  provide  luggage  to  CHILDREN IN foster [children]
 CARE. 1. [Definitions.] For the purposes of this section, [the following
 terms shall have the following meanings:
   (a) "Demographic information" means race or ethnicity, gender,  commu-
 nity  district,  primary  language, and any other category the office of
 children and family services deems relevant.
   (b) "Foster care agency" means  the  voluntary  agency  contracted  by
 social services districts to provide foster care.
   (c)  "Luggage"]  "LUGGAGE" means a durable suitcase, duffel bag, back-
 pack, or similar reusable container that is new or is in new-like condi-
 tion, and is designed to hold an individual's personal belongings and is
 not a disposable bag, trash bag, or cardboard box.
   2. [Foster youth luggage. The office of children and family  services]
 EACH  LOCAL  SOCIAL  SERVICES  DISTRICT shall [procure, distribute, and]
 supply luggage to CHILDREN IN foster care [youth] who do not have appro-
 priate luggage of their own [and who are: (a) entering foster care;  (b)
 moving  from  one  foster  care placement to another; (c) exiting foster
 care; (d) moving to college; or (e) in any other situation where luggage
 is needed]. If any CHILD IN  foster  care  [youth]  reports  that  their
 luggage  has  been lost, stolen, or damaged, the [office of children and
 family services  shall]  LOCAL  SOCIAL  SERVICES  DISTRICT  MAY  provide
 replacement  luggage  at [their] ITS discretion. Any luggage provided by
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07383-03-6
 A. 9482                             2
 
 the [office of children  and  family  services]  LOCAL  SOCIAL  SERVICES
 DISTRICT  may not be reclaimed or retained by the office of children and
 family services, THE LOCAL  social  services  districts,  [foster  care]
 VOLUNTARY AUTHORIZED agencies, or the child's foster parent.
   3. [Partnership with social services districts. The office of children
 and  family  services  shall  distribute  new luggage to social services
 districts based on the number of foster children in each locality.  Each
 social services district shall distribute new luggage to children within
 the office of children and family services' care and custody or care and
 guardianship,  as  well as to any voluntary agencies within their juris-
 dictions with whom they  contract  for  the  provision  of  foster  care
 services.
   4.  Foster  youth  luggage  reporting. No later than December first of
 each year, the office of children and family  services  shall  submit  a
 report  to  the  governor and the legislature detailing the provision of
 luggage to foster care youth. Such report shall include, but need not be
 limited to, the following information:
   (a) The total number of foster care youth given luggage, in total  and
 disaggregated by demographic information;
   (b)  To  the  extent  there are foster care youth utilizing disposable
 bags, trash bags, or cardboard boxes in place of  luggage  to  transport
 their  belongings,  the  number of such foster care youth utilizing such
 disposable bags, trash bags, or cardboard boxes, in total and  disaggre-
 gated  by demographic information, and the reason such youth are utiliz-
 ing such disposable bag, trash bag, or cardboard box; and
   (c) The supply, cost, and  inventory  management  procedures  for  the
 office  of  children  and  family  services'  luggage  supply.] ELIGIBLE
 EXPENDITURES MADE BY A LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT  FOR  LUGGAGE  FOR
 CHILDREN  IN  FOSTER  CARE  UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE SUBJECT TO STATE
 REIMBURSEMENT UNDER THE FOSTER  CARE  BLOCK  GRANT  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH
 SECTION ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-THREE-K OF THIS CHAPTER.
   §  2.  This  act  shall  take  effect on the same date and in the same
 manner as a chapter of the laws of 2025 amending the social services law
 relating to requiring the office of  children  and  family  services  to
 provide  luggage  to  youth  in  foster care, as proposed in legislative
 bills numbers S. 3781 and A.  5434, takes effect.