Bill Text: CA AB1148 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Virtual Assistant Living and Education program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-02 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB1148 Detail]

Download: California-2009-AB1148-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 1148	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Davis

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2009

   An act to add Section 16168 to the Welfare and Institutions Code,
relating to foster youth.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1148, as introduced, Davis. Virtual Assistant Living and
Education program.
   Existing law requires the Office of the State Foster Care
Ombudsperson to be established in the State Department of Social
Services with prescribed powers and duties relating to the management
of foster children, including the dissemination of information on
the rights of children and youth in foster care.
   This bill would require the office to take all necessary steps to
establish and implement the Virtual Assistant Living and Education
(VALE) program, an interactive, secured Internet Web site that would
maintain personal information relating to foster youth, as well as
other specified contents, to provide the youth and their care
providers with centralized access to this information. The bill would
require the office to ensure the confidentiality of information on
the VALE Web site, as specified.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 16168 is added to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read:
   16168.  (a) The Office of the State Foster Care Ombudsperson shall
take all necessary steps, including consulting with all appropriate
state departments, to establish and implement the Virtual Assistant
Living and Education (VALE) program, on a centralized, statewide
basis, in accordance with this chapter.
   (b) The VALE program established pursuant to this chapter shall
consist of an interactive, secured, Internet Web site designed to
give foster youth and their care providers access to a foster youth's
personal information, as described in subdivision (c).
   (c) The information maintained on the VALE Web site shall include,
but shall not be limited to, all of the following:
   (1) Birth records.
   (2) Social security numbers.
   (3) Immunization and other medical records.
   (4) School records.
   (5) Official identification cards.
   (6) Resumes.
   (d) The VALE Web site shall allow a foster child to develop a
personal database to store important telephone numbers and addresses.

   (e) The VALE Web site shall also provide information and links to
connect foster youth to appropriate resources to meet their
educational needs, independent living skills requirements, and work
needs.
   (f) The office shall ensure that the VALE Web site maintains the
confidentiality of medical and other records on the Web site,
consistent with the requirements of this section and applicable state
and federal law.