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AN ACT
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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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 a n 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 placement s;
“(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. ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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“(b) The Agency shall maintain an inventory of new or slightly used l uggage 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)). ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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“(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) D oes 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)).
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Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
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Mayor
District of Columbia