[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2512 Introduced in House (IH)]
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115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2512
To amend title IV of the Social Security Act to expand foster parent
training and provide new appropriations to support the obtainment of a
driver's license.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 18, 2017
Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois (for himself, Mrs. Dingell, and Ms.
Moore) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title IV of the Social Security Act to expand foster parent
training and provide new appropriations to support the obtainment of a
driver's license.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Foster Youth and Driving Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Transportation is one of the largest barriers foster
youth face in their transition to adulthood. It impacts every
aspect of well-being, and has been an impediment to meeting
their education and employment goals. Public transportation
options may provide relief for some, but are not an option for
all youth. Certainly for youth in rural areas, public bus stops
may not be in walking distance, and in some urban cities,
public transportation is not reliable. Impediments to
transportation increase the risk of foster youth failing course
work in a postsecondary education program due to inability to
attend classes on time or at all. For youth that are employed
full- or part-time, tardiness due to unreliable transportation
is often grounds for dismissal in many employment settings.
(2) For youth who do not have access to safe and reliable
public transportation options, the obtainment of a driver's
license is critical. There are many impediments foster youth
face in the obtainment of a driver's license. Some young people
in various States across the country are required to obtain a
court order in order to obtain a driver's license.
(3) Even after permissions are granted, additional hurdles
are the ability for foster youth to enroll in driver's
education classes, obtain the necessary driving practice hours
to secure a driving permit, find access to a car, and obtain
insurance--all of which are ultimately required to obtain a
driver's license. There are also numerous financial obstacles
associated with obtaining a driver's license, including DMV
fees, increased insurance costs for young drivers, and
questions about liability and parental permission that can
deter foster parents from teaching youth how to drive. These
concerns also extend to youth who are placed in residential
care where they are supervised by staff who may not be willing
to devote time and expense to helping a young person obtain a
driver's license.
(4) Purchasing coverage for a foster youth on a foster
parent's car insurance plan may be an undue burden. Average
insurance rates to cover a teenager range between $3,600 to
$4,000 a year (depending on the gender of the youth). Foster
parents currently receive, on average, only $17 a day to care
for a youth who has been placed in their home.
(5) There is a need to clarify and specify that the
normalcy provisions enacted under the Preventing Sex
Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (Public Law 113-183)
direct States to implement the reasonable and prudent parent
standard for foster parents to empower them to make decisions
regarding the daily activities of children in their care. These
daily activities include the ability to drive a car and obtain
a learner's permit and driver's license--appropriate goals for
foster youth ages 14 and older (provided the youth is
cognitively able to pursue this activity). The obtainment of a
driver's license is a normal and healthy experience for foster
youth in relation to their non-foster care peers. Active
efforts to support this goal should include identification of
appropriate car insurance plans to ensure that youth are able
to engage in the required number of driving hours and have
access to a vehicle to complete a driving test.
(6) Some States have recognized the need for supporting
youth in this process. Currently 12 States (Connecticut,
Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey, New
Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Texas, and Vermont) and the
District of Columbia use State and private funds to provide
financial support to cover driver's license fees and tuition
for enrollment in driver's education courses. There are no
States that currently cover all of the fees associated or
concerns around liability.
SEC. 3. FOSTER PARENT TRAINING RELATED TO PREPARING A CHILD TO DRIVE.
Section 471(a)(24) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
671(a)(24)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and knowledge and skills'' and inserting
``knowledge and skills''; and
(2) by inserting before the semicolon at the end the
following: ``and, when appropriate to the age or other
circumstance of the child, knowledge and skills related to
preparing the child to drive, including assuring opportunity
for practice driving hours and information concerning obtaining
a driver's license and automotive insurance''.
SEC. 4. REQUIREMENT TO INCLUDE A PLAN FOR DRIVING PREPARATION IN CASE
PLAN.
Section 475(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 675(1)) is
amended--
(1) in subparagraph (G)(ii), by moving subclause (II) 2 ems
to the right; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(H) A plan for assuring that the child, when
appropriate to the age or other circumstance of the
child, receives assistance, knowledge, and skills
related to preparing to drive, including opportunity
for practice driving hours and information concerning
obtaining a driver's license and automotive
insurance.''.
SEC. 5. DRIVING AND TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
(a) Purpose.--Section 477(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
677(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (7), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(9) to provide driving and transportation assistance to
children in foster care and certain former foster care
recipients who have attained the appropriate age to begin
receiving such assistance.''.
(b) Driving and Transportation Assistance.--Section 477 of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(k) Funds for Driving and Transportation Assistance.--The
following conditions shall apply to a State driving and transportation
assistance program under this section:
``(1) Assistance under the program may be available to
youths otherwise eligible for services under the State program
under this section.
``(2) For purposes of this assistance program, youths who,
after attaining 16 years of age, are adopted from, or enter
kinship guardianship from, foster care may be considered to be
youths otherwise eligible for services under the State program
under this section.
``(3) The State may allow youths participating in the
assistance program on the date they attain 21 years of age to
remain eligible until they attain 26 years of age, as long as
they are enrolled in a postsecondary education or other
employment training program and are making satisfactory
progress toward completion of that program.
``(4) The assistance provided for an individual under this
section--
``(A) may include vehicle insurance costs, driver's
education class and testing fees, practice lessons,
practice hours, and driver's license fees; and
``(B) shall not exceed the lesser of $3,000 per
year or the total cost of the items described in
subparagraph (A).
``(5) The amount of assistance under this section may be
disregarded for purposes of determining the recipient's
eligibility for, or the amount of, any other Federal or
federally supported assistance, except that the State agency
shall take appropriate steps to prevent duplication of benefits
under this and other Federal or federally supported programs.
``(6) The program is coordinated with other appropriate
programs to support current and former youth in their
transition to adulthood.''.
(c) Certification.--Section 477(b)(3) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 677(b)(3)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(L) A certification by the chief executive
officer of the State that the State driving and
transportation assistance program under this section is
in compliance with the conditions specified in
subsection (k), including a statement describing
methods the State will use--
``(i) to ensure that the total amount of
driving and transportation assistance to a
youth under this section and under other
Federal and federally supported programs does
not exceed the limitation specified in
subsection (k)(5); and
``(ii) to avoid duplication of benefits
under this and any other Federal or federally
assisted benefit program.''.
(d) Increased Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 477(h) of
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677(h)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) an additional $36,000,000, which are authorized to be
available for payments to States for driving and transportation
assistance in accordance with subsection (k).''.
(e) Allotments to States.--Section 477(c) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 677(c)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
``(4) Driving and transportation assistance allotment.--
From the amount, if any, appropriated pursuant to subsection
(h)(3) for a fiscal year, the Secretary may allot to each State
with an application approved under subsection (b) for the
fiscal year an amount equal to the State foster care ratio
multiplied by the amount so specified.''.
(f) Discretionary Grants.--Section 474 of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 674) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (f) and (g) as subsections
(g) and (h), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following:
``(f) Discretionary Grants for Driving and Transportation
Assistance.--From amounts appropriated pursuant to section 477(h)(3),
the Secretary may make a grant to a State with a plan approved under
this part, for a calendar quarter, in an amount equal to the lesser
of--
``(1) 80 percent of the amounts expended by the State
during the quarter to carry out programs for the purposes
described in section 477(a)(9); or
``(2) the amount, if any, allotted to the State under
section 477(c)(4) for the fiscal year in which the quarter
occurs, reduced by the total of the amounts payable to the
State under this subsection for such purposes for all prior
quarters in the fiscal year.''.
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