FOSTER CHILD IDENTIFICATION PROTECTION ACT
House Bill 5775
Sponsor: Rep. Phil Cavanagh
Committee: Families, Children, and Seniors
Complete to 11-12-14
A REVISED SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5775 AS INTRODUCED 9-9-14
The bill would create a new act, entitled the Foster Child Identification Protection Act, to require that foster care caseworkers monitor credit-related activity carried out in the name of a foster child. The Department of Human Services would be required to develop standard forms for use by caseworkers to request a credit report on behalf of foster children and to comply with the provision specified in the act
Under the bill, each caseworker would have to request annually a consumer reporting agency credit report on each child assigned to them in foster care. If a requested credit report indicates the appearance of fraudulent activity in the foster child's name, the caseworker would be required to submit a copy of that report to the court at the next 90-day review of that child's case service plan. The court would order the lawyer-guardian ad litem to contact the consumer reporting agency and request that it immediately remove the fraudulent activity from the child's credit report.
The caseworker would also be required to keep documentation of all requests and correspondences regarding the child's credit report and any seemingly fraudulent activity on the record in the foster child's case file and to periodically discuss the credit report with the foster child and inform the child of the actions being taken regarding the credit report.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The bill would not have a significant fiscal impact on the Department of Human Services.
Fiscal Analyst: Viola Bay Wild
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.