On October 3rd, Senators Hassan (D-NH), and Young (R-IN) introduced the bipartisan Senate companion bill to the Foster Youth and Driving Act, originally introduced in the House by Representative Danny K. Davis (D-IL) and Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE). The Senate companion bill makes no changes to the House bill.
As previously covered, H.R. 7932 Foster Youth and Driving Act was introduced in June of this year with the goal of promoting independence for foster youth by providing necessary resources for driving related expenses. This bill would
- Create driving assistance programs in each state, providing up to $4000 annually per youth, including insurance costs, driver’s education, fees, and other driving-related expenses.
- Expand this assistance to tribal youth to receive funding.
- Maintain the Chafee state match to receive federal funding to promote a shared state and federal commitment to driving programs
- Provide driving-related training to foster parents
In the press release, Senator Hassan is quoted, “Getting a driver’s license can be an important part of young adulthood – helping young people gain independence and allowing them to access work and education opportunities. Unfortunately, foster youth face financial barriers to getting a driver’s license.”
By Chloe Miller, Policy Intern
