Legislation
SECTION 398-F
Duty to provide luggage to foster children
Social Services (SOS) CHAPTER 55, ARTICLE 6, TITLE 2
* § 398-f. Duty to provide luggage to foster children. 1. Definitions.
For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
(a) "Demographic information" means race or ethnicity, gender,
community district, primary language, and any other category the office
of children and family services deems relevant.
(b) "Foster care agency" means the voluntary agency contracted by
social services districts to provide foster care.
(c) "Luggage" means a durable suitcase, duffel bag, backpack, or
similar reusable container that is new or is in new-like condition, and
is designed to hold an individual's personal belongings and is not a
disposable bag, trash bag, or cardboard box.
2. Foster youth luggage. The office of children and family services
shall procure, distribute, and supply luggage to foster care youth who
do not have appropriate luggage of their own and who are: (a) entering
foster care; (b) moving from one foster care placement to another; (c)
exiting foster care; (d) moving to college; or (e) in any other
situation where luggage is needed. If any foster care youth reports that
their luggage has been lost, stolen, or damaged, the office of children
and family services shall provide replacement luggage at their
discretion. Any luggage provided by the office of children and family
services may not be reclaimed or retained by the office of children and
family services, social services districts, foster care agencies, or the
child's foster parent.
3. Partnership with social services districts. The office of children
and family services shall distribute new luggage to social services
districts based on the number of foster children in each locality. Each
social services district shall distribute new luggage to children within
the office of children and family services' care and custody or care and
guardianship, as well as to any voluntary agencies within their
jurisdictions with whom they contract for the provision of foster care
services.
4. Foster youth luggage reporting. No later than December first of
each year, the office of children and family services shall submit a
report to the governor and the legislature detailing the provision of
luggage to foster care youth. Such report shall include, but need not be
limited to, the following information:
(a) The total number of foster care youth given luggage, in total and
disaggregated by demographic information;
(b) To the extent there are foster care youth utilizing disposable
bags, trash bags, or cardboard boxes in place of luggage to transport
their belongings, the number of such foster care youth utilizing such
disposable bags, trash bags, or cardboard boxes, in total and
disaggregated by demographic information, and the reason such youth are
utilizing such disposable bag, trash bag, or cardboard box; and
(c) The supply, cost, and inventory management procedures for the
office of children and family services' luggage supply.
* NB Effective April 18, 2026
For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:
(a) "Demographic information" means race or ethnicity, gender,
community district, primary language, and any other category the office
of children and family services deems relevant.
(b) "Foster care agency" means the voluntary agency contracted by
social services districts to provide foster care.
(c) "Luggage" means a durable suitcase, duffel bag, backpack, or
similar reusable container that is new or is in new-like condition, and
is designed to hold an individual's personal belongings and is not a
disposable bag, trash bag, or cardboard box.
2. Foster youth luggage. The office of children and family services
shall procure, distribute, and supply luggage to foster care youth who
do not have appropriate luggage of their own and who are: (a) entering
foster care; (b) moving from one foster care placement to another; (c)
exiting foster care; (d) moving to college; or (e) in any other
situation where luggage is needed. If any foster care youth reports that
their luggage has been lost, stolen, or damaged, the office of children
and family services shall provide replacement luggage at their
discretion. Any luggage provided by the office of children and family
services may not be reclaimed or retained by the office of children and
family services, social services districts, foster care agencies, or the
child's foster parent.
3. Partnership with social services districts. The office of children
and family services shall distribute new luggage to social services
districts based on the number of foster children in each locality. Each
social services district shall distribute new luggage to children within
the office of children and family services' care and custody or care and
guardianship, as well as to any voluntary agencies within their
jurisdictions with whom they contract for the provision of foster care
services.
4. Foster youth luggage reporting. No later than December first of
each year, the office of children and family services shall submit a
report to the governor and the legislature detailing the provision of
luggage to foster care youth. Such report shall include, but need not be
limited to, the following information:
(a) The total number of foster care youth given luggage, in total and
disaggregated by demographic information;
(b) To the extent there are foster care youth utilizing disposable
bags, trash bags, or cardboard boxes in place of luggage to transport
their belongings, the number of such foster care youth utilizing such
disposable bags, trash bags, or cardboard boxes, in total and
disaggregated by demographic information, and the reason such youth are
utilizing such disposable bag, trash bag, or cardboard box; and
(c) The supply, cost, and inventory management procedures for the
office of children and family services' luggage supply.
* NB Effective April 18, 2026