Children in foster care; federal benefits, written notice by certified mail, notice of eligibility.
Summary
Local department of social services; children in foster care; federal benefits; notice of eligibility. Provides that, if the local department of social services serves as representative payee for a child receiving certain federal benefits, specified in the bill, the local department of social services shall provide written notice, in person or by certified mail, that it is acting as the child's representative payee within 30 days after receiving the first benefit payment on behalf of the child to (i) the child, if the child is 12 years of age or older; (ii) the child's parent, prior guardian, or prior custodian, or, if there is no legal parent or prior guardian or custodian, the child's next of kin; (iii) the guardian ad litem, if applicable; and (iv) the counsel appointed for the child, if applicable.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2024
Committee Review
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Feb 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Feb 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Dec 31, 2024
Signed Mar 21, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons
What changed between versions
Enrolled
→
Chaptered
·
1 edit
MINOR
The bill was finalized and assigned Chapter 354 for the 2025 session. A minor wording adjustment was made to the title, changing 'Department of Social Services' to 'local department of social services' to more accurately reflect that the new requirement applies to local offices rather than the state agency as a whole. The core policy of requiring notice of federal benefit eligibility for children in foster care remains unchanged.
Scope change
The scope was slightly refined in the title to specify that the act applies to local departments of social services, clarifying that the implementation responsibility lies with local offices.
TECHNICAL
The title of the act was updated to change 'Department of Social Services' to 'local department of social services' to better align with the operational reality that local offices handle foster care cases.
Floor votes · Senate Jan 20, 2025 · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2025
How they voted
40–0
Passed
Total votes 40
Jan 20, 2025
D
Democratic21
100% Yea
R
Republican19
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
35
Key actions
12
Committee
6
Amendments
3
Mar 21, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 354 (Effective 07/01/25)
executive
Feb 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Feb 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB818ER)
upper
Feb 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
House Amendment agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed House with amendment (94-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 11, 2025
Introduced
Engrossed by House as amended
lower
Feb 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
Health and Human Services Amendment agreed to
lower
Feb 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported from Health and Human Services with amendment(s) (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (8-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 4, 2025
Committee
Assigned sub: Social Services
lower
Feb 4, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
lower
Jan 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
upper
Jan 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Jan 17, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute (15-Y 0-N)
upper
Dec 31, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Barbara Favola
DDemocratic
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