PROVIDED SUMMARY
Veteran Benefit Payments to Minor Clients ; Requires DCF to receive, deposit, & conserve certain benefit payments for certain minor clients; provides requirements for such funds; prohibits DCF from using such funds for certain purposes.
Full bill text →
Plain English Summary
AI-GENERATED
Bars DCF from using foster children's VA benefits for care costs.
DCF must accept, deposit, and hold onto all VA survivor benefit payments paid on behalf of a minor in its out-of-home care. It cannot touch that money to reimburse the state for the child's cost of care.
Once the child turns 18, DCF must pay out the entire accumulated amount to them. The protection covers only VA survivor benefits; it does not by its own terms reach other benefits, such as Social Security, that the same child might also receive.
KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1
Requires DCF to conserve VA survivor benefits for foster minors
majors. 402.33(3)
AIDCF must receive, deposit, and conserve all VA survivor benefit payments made on behalf of a minor client in its out-of-home care, rather than spending them.
“The Department of Children and Families must receive, deposit, and conserve all survivor benefit payments provided by the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs”
bill text, line 19 →
§ 2
Requires full disbursement to the minor at age 18
majors. 402.33(3)
AIThe funds conserved on the minor's behalf must be paid out to them in their entirety once they turn 18, rather than being kept or partially withheld by the department.
“The accumulated funds must be disbursed in their entirety to the minor client upon attaining 18 years of age”
bill text, line 22 →
§ 3
Bars using the funds to reimburse the state for care costs
majors. 402.33(3)
AIDCF may not dip into a minor's conserved VA survivor benefits to offset or reimburse the state for the cost of that minor's own care.
“The Department of Children and Families may not use such funds to reimburse the state for the cost of care”
bill text, line 24 →
TIMELINE
2/24/2026
Added to Second Reading Calendar
2/24/2026
Bill released to House Calendar
2/24/2026
Reported out of Health & Human Services Committee
2/24/2026
Favorable by Health & Human Services Committee
2/20/2026
Added to Health & Human Services Committee agenda
2/6/2026
Now in Health & Human Services Committee
2/6/2026
Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
2/5/2026
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
2/5/2026
Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
2/5/2026
Reported out of Human Services Subcommittee
2/4/2026
Favorable with CS by Human Services Subcommittee
2/2/2026
Added to Human Services Subcommittee agenda
1/15/2026
Now in Human Services Subcommittee
1/15/2026
Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
1/15/2026
Referred to Health Care Budget Subcommittee
1/15/2026
Referred to Human Services Subcommittee
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
14 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
STAFF ANALYSES