SACRAMENTO --- As the new legislative year kicks-off, Assembly Majority Leader Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) continues her focus on foster care reform by introducing new legislation to improve the California’s Foster Care System. Bass’ new foster care bills include:

· Assembly Bill 149 – calls for Counties to provide computer software programs that allow foster youth to connect with their families

· Assembly Bill 172 – requires the Department of Social Services to create an early educational pilot project for foster parents and foster children

· Assembly Bill 184 – allows foster youth adopted at age 14 or older or in care of non-relative guardianship placement to be eligible for Independent Living Program Services

· Assembly Bill 190 - implements the recommendations to reduce child welfare workload using a phase-in approach with full implementation by 2012

· Assembly Bill 194 – continues to reduce the number of cases that social workers have to manage, which is the key first step to improve services to foster youth as well as their families and guardians

· Assembly Bill 638 – requires foster youth who are in the juvenile justice system to receive case management services including permanent planning, Independent Living Program, Chaffee grant, etc.   

“We were very successful last year in identifying the long and short term needs for system-wide reform,” states Majority Leader Bass. “Although we made great strives in accomplishing our goal, there is still a lot of work to be done in order keep the momentum moving forward. We have to continue to stay on track if we want to ensure systemic changes that will generate continues improvements in our state’s Foster Care System.”

In the last legislative session, Majority Leader Bass and the Select Committee on Foster Care secured more than $82 million in the budget and $50 million in the Housing Bond, which was approved by California voters last year as well as had eight new laws signed by the Governor to help improve outcomes for foster youth.

Karen Bass has been a State Assembly Member representing Los Angeles’ 47th District since 2005. Speaker Fabian Núñez selected Bass as the Majority Leader for the California State Assembly during the 2007-2008 legislative session, making her the first African American and the first woman to hold this leadership position. As the Assemblymember for the 47th District, Karen Bass serves the cities and communities of Culver City, West Los Angeles, Westwood, Cheviot Hills, Leimert Park, Baldwin Hills, Windsor Hills, Ladera Heights, the Crenshaw District, Little Ethiopia and portions of Korea Town and South Los Angeles.