SB434: SB434 Office of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection; establishment

26 LC 64 0027 Senate Bill 434 By: Senators Jackson of the 41st, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Jones II of the 22nd and Summers of the 13th A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 49 of the Official Co de of Georgia Annotated,1 relating to children and youth services, so as to provide for the establishment of the Office2 of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection within the Department of Community Affairs;3 to provide for director; to provide for purpose; to provide for responsibilities; to provide for4 annual reports; to provide for an advisory committee; to provid e for membership, terms,5 meetings, and compensation of such committee; to provide for related matters; to provide for6 contingent effectiveness; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8 SECTION 1.9 Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Geor gia Annotated, relating to10 children and youth services, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:11 "49-5-26.12 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:13 (1) 'Homeless youth' or 'youth experiencing homelessness' means a young person who14 lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including a young person who:15 S. B. 434 - 1 - 26 LC 64 0027 (A) Due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reas on, is sharing the16 housing of other persons;17 (B) Due to lack of alternative adequate or permanent accommoda tions, is living in18 motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds;19 (C) Is living in an emergency or transition shelter, or has been abandoned at a hospital;20 (D) Has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designated21 for, or ordinarily used as, regular sleeping accommodations;22 (E) Is living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing,23 bus or train stations, or similar settings; or24 (F) Is a migratory young person living in circumstances described in subparagraphs (A)25 through (E) of this paragraph.26 (2) 'Office' means the Office of Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection.27 (3) 'Young person' or 'youth' means an individual who is not more than 25 years of age.28 (b) There is established within the Department of Community Af fairs the Office of29 Homeless Youth Prevention and Protection. The office shall be attached to such30 department for administrative and operational purposes.31 (c) The commissioner shall appoint a director to be responsible for the operations of the32 office.33 (d) The office shall be responsible for leading efforts relati ng to homeless youth and34 improving the safety, health, and welfare of homeless youth in this state. Responsibilities35 shall include, but shall not be limited to:36 (1) Developing state-wide coordination across relevant state a gencies, local37 governments, and community partners to:38 (A) Establish outcome measures and track the progress of measurable goals;39 (B) Develop and implement data-sharing agreements consistent with state and federal40 privacy laws to better understand causes of youth homelessness and ways to improve41 coordination of services;42 S. B. 434 - 2 - 26 LC 64 0027 (C) Develop state-wide recommendations to close gaps in policy, funding, and services43 throughout the state;44 (D) Publish annual public reports summarizing progress, defici encies, and45 recommended actions to prevent youth homelessness; and46 (E) Coordinate with child welfare, juvenile justice, education, behavioral health, and47 other systems to prevent youth homelessness.48 (2) Establishing programs that decrease the number of homeless youth in this state by49 addressing the initial causes of homelessness;50 (3) Establishing programs that increase permanent placement as defined in Code51 Section 15-11-2 among homeless youth by decreasing length and occurrences of youth52 homelessness caused by a youth's separation from family;53 (4) Collecting county and state-wide data on the number of homeless youth, dependency54 status, family reunification status, housing status, program pa rticipation, and runaway55 status; and56 (5) Establishing a comprehensive plan to encourage identification of youth experiencing57 homelessness, promote family stability, and eliminate youth homelessness.58 (e) By April 1 of the first full calendar year after the offic e becomes operational and59 annually thereafter, the office shall publish and submit to the Governor, the Speaker of the60 House of Representatives, the Lieutenant Governor, and the chai rpersons of the House61 Committee on Judiciary, House Committee on Judiciary Juvenile, House Committee on62 Public and Community Health, and the Senate Children and Families Committee an annual63 report which shall include for the previous calendar year:64 (1) State-wide data trends relating to youth and young adults experiencing homelessness65 and housing instability;66 (2) Outcome measures and progress of measurable goals;67 (3) Identified gaps in policy, funding, and services coordination; and68 (4) Recommended legislative and budget actions to address such gaps.69 S. B. 434 - 3 - 26 LC 64 0027 (f) The office shall regularly consult with an advisory committee. The advisory committee70 shall be staffed by the department and shall consist of 12 members to be appointed by the71 Governor by January 1, 2027, as follows:72 (1) Two members shall be licensed social workers;73 (2) Two members shall be representatives of the Division of Fa mily and Children74 Services of the department;75 (3) Two members shall be members of the House of Representatives;76 (4) Two members shall be members of the Senate;77 (5) Two members shall be youth who have experienced homelessness. Such members78 shall be appointed in a manner that prioritizes representation from different regions of79 this state and diverse experiences with regard to youth homelessness; and80 (6) Two members shall be parents, legal guardians, or kinship caregivers who have81 supported a young person who has experienced homelessness or housing instability, or82 who serve as caregiver advocates with demonstrated experience supporting such families.83 (g) Each member of the advisory committee shall serve a two-ye ar term and until the84 appointment and qualification of such member's successor.85 (h) The advisory committee shall meet at least quarterly and a t such other times as may86 be called by the chairperson. The chairperson of the committee shall call an initial meeting87 no later than 90 days after all appointments to the committee have been completed.88 (i) Members of the committee shall not be compensated for their services on the committee89 but may be reimbursed for per diem and travel expenses in the same manner as provided90 for in Code Section 45-7-21.91 (j) The advisory committee shall stand abolished on December 31, 2029.92 (k) The office shall begin operations no later than January 1, 2027."93 S. B. 434 - 4 - 26 LC 64 0027 SECTION 2.94 (a) This Act shall become effective only if funds are specific ally appropriated for the95 purposes of this Act in an appropriations Act enacted by the General Assembly.96 (b) If funds are so appropriated, then this Act shall become effective on the date on which97 such appropriations Act becomes effective.98 SECTION 3.99 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.100 S. B. 434 - 5 -