Juveniles: family finding.

Legislative status

1. Introduced
2. In Committee
3. Reported by Committee
4. Floor Vote Scheduled
5. Passed One Chamber
6. Passed Both Chambers
7. Sent to Executive
8. Signed into Law

Summary

The bill orders social workers to start a family‑finding investigation within 30 days of a child entering child‑welfare or probation services, reach out to identified relatives and kin, and keep those efforts going for the life of the case unless adoption proceedings begin. It also creates training, permits limited information sharing with verified relatives, and allows child‑welfare staff to access juvenile case files for these purposes. The changes affect county child‑welfare and probation departments and aim to improve placement and support options for children.

AI-generated summary — may be incomplete or inaccurate. Verify against the official bill text.

Vote

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HUM. S. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S. · Apr 22, 2026

Hearings

• Appropriations Committee Hearing
  Appropriations · May 14, 2026
• Appropriations Committee Hearing
  Appropriations · May 13, 2026
• Human Services Committee Hearing
  Human Services · Apr 23, 2026
• Judiciary Committee Hearing
  Judiciary · Apr 21, 2026
• Judiciary
  Judiciary · Apr 21, 2026

History

1. May 14, 2026Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 5030.)
2. May 14, 2026In committee: Held under submission.
3. May 13, 2026In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
4. Apr 28, 2026Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
5. Apr 27, 2026Read second time and amended.
6. Apr 23, 2026From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (April 23).
7. Apr 22, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HUM. S. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.
8. Apr 14, 2026In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
9. Apr 13, 2026Re-referred to Coms. on JUD. and HUM. S. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
10. Apr 13, 2026Assembly Rule 56 suspended. (Page 4580.)
11. Apr 13, 2026(Pending re-refer to Com. on HUM. S.)
12. Mar 16, 2026Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and JUD.

The 12 most recent of 14 recorded actions.

Sponsors

• Patrick Ahrens (D) · sponsor
• Ahrens

Bill text

Opens the legislature’s own copy.

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