The bill amends the Idaho Code to enhance foster care provisions, particularly by extending eligibility for continued care from age twenty-one to twenty-three. This change allows individuals who have been in the custody of the department until their eighteenth birthday to receive support as they transition into adulthood. The bill also emphasizes the necessity of regular review hearings to evaluate various factors affecting the child's well-being, including safety, educational stability, sibling placements, and the administration of psychotropic medication.

Additionally, the bill introduces new definitions and provisions related to foster care licensing, particularly for relatives, allowing the Department of Health and Welfare to expedite the licensing process while ensuring child safety. It also grants the board of health and welfare the authority to establish procedures for licensing child care facilities and nullifies certain existing administrative rules effective July 1, 2025. The declaration of an emergency underscores the urgency of implementing these changes to improve the foster care system and support the successful transition of young adults.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 16-1622, 39-1202, 39-1211A, 39-1213