D.C. Act 25-705. Luggage for All Youth in Foster Care Amendment Act of 2024.

AN ACT

To amend the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Act of 1977 to require the Child and Family Services Agency to provide new or slightly-used luggage to children in foster care, to inspect and maintain an inventory of donated luggage, to establish that such luggage shall be the property of the child, to require the Child and Family Services Agency to consider multiple factors when providing luggage, to authorize the Child and Family Services Agency to solicit and accept donations of luggage, to require the Child and Family Services Agency to document the distribution of luggage and use of disposable bags, and to require the Child and Family Services Agency to issue rules to implement this act.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Luggage for All Youth in Foster Care Amendment Act of 2024".

Sec. 2. Title III of the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Act of 1977, effective September 23, 1977 (D.C. Law 2-22; D.C. Official Code § 4-1303.01 et seq.), is amended by adding a new section 313 to read as follows:

"Sec. 313. Luggage for children in foster care.

"(a)(1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Agency shall provide luggage to a child who is:

"(A) Entering foster care;

"(B) Moving foster care placements;

"(C) Starting higher education or military service; or

"(D) Exiting foster care.

"(2) The Agency shall not be required to provide luggage to a child who is in possession of luggage previously provided by the Agency unless such luggage is unsuitable to hold and transport the child's personal belongings due to:

"(A) Poor condition of the luggage; or

"(B) A material change of a factor identified in subsection (d)(1) of this section that would necessitate the need for additional luggage.

"(b) The Agency shall maintain an inventory of new or slightly used luggage and may accept donations of new or slightly used luggage; provided, that the Agency shall inspect all donations to determine if the luggage qualifies as new or slightly used and shall reject all donations that do not qualify as either.

"(c) All luggage provided to a child pursuant to this section shall be considered the personal property of the child and may not be reclaimed by the Agency or retained by any individual with whom the child lives while in foster care.

"(d)(1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, when providing luggage to a child, the Agency shall consider among the existing supply of luggage the:

"(A) Child's age;

"(B) Child's mobility;

"(C) Number, size, and weight of personal belongings to be transported; and

"(D) Child's personal preferences; except, that the Agency shall not be required to consider the child's personal preferences if the child is younger than 3 years old.

"(2) The Agency shall not be required consider the factors listed in paragraph (1) of this subsection if such consideration would result in a delay in the child's transportation to, within, or out of foster care.

"(e) The Agency may solicit, receive, accept, and expend grants or donations from any source to carry out the provisions of this section.

"(f) The Agency shall document:

"(1) The number of instances in the 2 most recent calendar years in which the Agency provided luggage to a child;

"(2) The number of instances in the 2 most recent calendar years in which a disposable bag was used to transport the personal belongings of a child because the Agency did not provide luggage to the child; and

"(3) The reason for each instance in the previous calendar year in which a disposable bag was used to transport the personal belongings of a child.

"(g) The Mayor, pursuant to Title I of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1204; D.C. Official Code § 2-501 et seq.), shall issue rules to implement the provisions of this section, including procedures for the inspection, storage, and distribution of luggage that prioritize easing the ability of children, Agency employees, and community partners to access luggage.

"(h) For purposes of this section, the term:

"(1) "Child" means an individual who is a committed ward of the Child and Family Services Agency.

"(2) "Foster care" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 3803(2) of the Adoption Voucher Fund Act of 2000, effective October 19, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-172; D.C. Official Code § 4-342(2)).

"(3) "Luggage" means a rolling suitcase, duffle bag, backpack, or carrying bag that is designed to hold and transport an individual's personal belongings. The term "luggage" does not include disposable bags, including trash bags.

"(4) "Slightly-used" means in a state of condition that:

"(A) Indicates only light previous usage;

"(B) Does not have any major physical alterations, such as dents, scrapes, rips, or patches; and

"(C) Is not damaged in any manner that inhibits proper functioning.".

Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).

Sec. 4. Effective date.

This act shall take effect after approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)).