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One Hundred Ninth Legislature - First Session - 2025
Introducer€s Statement of Intent
LB368
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Chairperson: Senator Carolyn Bosn
Committee: Judiciary
Date of Hearing: February 07, 2025
The following constitutes the reasons for this bill and the purposes which are sought to be
accomplished thereby:
LB 368 would create a Youth in Care Bill of Rights for foster system-involved youth.
While DHHS currently informs foster youth of their basic rights per federal law and agency
regulations, current and former foster youth have expressed that the information they receive
from DHHS about their rights when entering State care is inadequate and poorly retained.
LB 368 will help ensure that youth in the foster system are well-versed in the rights they
have during their time in foster care and that they know how to advocate for themselves. The
bill would require that youth age 14 and up are expressly informed of these rights at regular
intervals in an age-appropriate manner by their caseworker and guardian ad litem. It also
creates a process for youth to file grievances with the Department.€
Some such rights generally include, but are not limited to the following, unless deemed
contrary to the childs safety or well-being by a court:
‚ to receive case-related information in their primary language,€
‚ to attend or not attend religious services that align with their beliefs,
‚ to participate in age-appropriate extracurricular, cultural, and social activities,
‚ to be free from unreasonable search and seizure, discrimination, and exploitation,
‚ to be informed about and involved in their own court proceedings,
‚ to be provided medical services or refuse to consent to services, to be medicated only as
necessary, and be informed about any medications possible side effects,
‚ to be placed in a home with siblings when possible, or to visit siblings and family,
‚ if a parent themselves, to provide input about their own childs placement and care, and
‚ to file a grievance if they believe their rights have been violated.
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Principal Introducer:________________________________
Senator Megan Hunt
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