Dependent children: information related to family.

The entire Green Empowerment Zone for the Salton Sea and Southeastern Desert Valleys was removed. This included legislative findings about the region's economic needs, a new Chapter 34.5 in the Government Code (Sections 7599.105 through 7599.120+), definitions, geographic boundaries covering Imperial County and parts of Riverside County, establishment procedures via county board resolutions, a board of directors with representatives from local governments, tribal nations, private employers, labor organizations, universities, workforce boards, and foundations, reporting requirements to the Legislature, and sunset provisions through January 1, 2035.

The bill's title and legislative counsel's digest were updated to remove all references to the Green Empowerment Zone, now describing the bill solely as relating to dependent children and information related to family.

A new provision was added stating that the bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 391 of the Welfare and Institutions Code proposed by AB 2764, operative only if both bills are enacted and SB 534 is enacted last. This creates a conditional cross-reference between two bills.

A new Section 1.5 was added that restates Section 391 in full, which would incorporate the AB 2764 changes into the existing foster youth information provisions.

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now requires fiscal committee review. The state-mandated local program designation was clarified to 'yes' (previously showed both 'no' and 'yes' likely reflecting the two separate components of the earlier version).

Added a new component amending Section 391 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to require county welfare departments to provide dependent children (age 16+) and nonminors with family history information, including last known whereabouts and contact details for parents and siblings, at review hearings. The minor or nonminor has the option to decline this information.

State-mandated local program determination changed from 'no' to 'yes,' reflecting that the new juvenile welfare provisions impose additional duties on county welfare departments statewide.

Added requirements for county welfare departments to report on housing assistance efforts, including whether transitional housing was secured, duration of housing, and additional referrals from other county agencies intended to prevent homelessness upon termination of jurisdiction.

Added a requirement that the court maintain general jurisdiction over a nonminor until age 21 after terminating dependency, allowing the nonminor to file a petition to resume dependency at any time before turning 21.

Added a reimbursement provision (new Section 2) stating that no state reimbursement is required for the juvenile welfare changes because they increase costs already borne by local agencies under the 2011 Realignment Legislation, and new programs above the funded level are not subject to Article XIII B subvention.

Fiscal committee determination changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now requires fiscal committee review due to the new state-mandated local program imposed on county welfare departments.

A new subdivision (g) in Section 7599.108 requires that the board of directors be subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code Section 54950 et seq.), which mandates open meetings, public notice of meetings, and availability of minutes to the public. This subjects the empowerment zone board to the same transparency and accountability standards as other local public agencies in California.