00                             HOUSE BILL NO. 28                                                                          
01 "An Act relating to the foster care independent living transition program; and                                          
02 establishing and relating to the foster care independent living transition program fund."                               
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section                          
05 to read:                                                                                                                
06       LEGISLATIVE INTENT. The legislature intends to appropriate, during fiscal year                                    
07 2016, an amount equal to $500,000 to the foster care independent living transition program                              
08 fund established under AS 47.18.320(a), as amended by sec. 3 of this Act.                                               
09    * Sec. 2. AS 36.30.850(b)(38) is amended to read:                                                                  
10                 (38)  grants and contracts with qualified entities for services under                                   
11       AS 47.18.330 for the foster care independent living transition program;                                       
12    * Sec. 3. AS 47.18.300(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
13            (a)  The department, in coordination with local public and private agencies,                                 
14       shall design, develop, and implement a foster care independent living transition                              

01       program to provide support and services to individuals who                                                        
02                 (1)  reach or have reached the age of 16 or older while in state foster                                 
03       care and have not yet reached 23 years of age; and                                                                
04                 (2)  meet other eligibility criteria established by the department under                                
05       (b) of this section.                                                                                              
06    * Sec. 4. AS 47.18.320(a) is amended to read:                                                                      
07            (a)  The foster care independent living transition program fund is                                       
08       established in the general fund. The fund consists of money appropriated to the                               
09       fund. Appropriations to the fund do not lapse. The department may award                                       
10       contracts and grants to qualified entities from the fund [SUBJECT TO THE                                      
11       AVAILABILITY OF AN APPROPRIATION MADE] for the purposes of                                                        
12       AS 47.18.300 - 47.18.390 to [, THE PROGRAM MAY] provide                                                       
13                 (1)  education and vocational training, including assistance to obtain                              
14       a high school diploma or a general education development diploma or its                                       
15       equivalent;                                                                                                   
16                 (2)  assistance in obtaining basic education and training;                                              
17                 (3)  career and employment training and services;                                                   
18                 (4)  training in basic life skills;                                                                     
19                 (5)  housing and utility assistance;                                                                    
20                 (6)  mentoring and counseling; and                                                                      
21                 (7)  other appropriate services to complement the efforts of former state                               
22       foster care recipients to achieve self-sufficiency.                                                               
23    * Sec. 5. AS 47.18.390(1) is amended to read:                                                                      
24                 (1)  "program" means the foster care independent living transition                                  
25       program authorized under AS 47.18.300 - 47.18.390;                                                                
26    * Sec. 6. AS 47.18.390(2) is amended to read:                                                                      
27                 (2)  "qualified entities" means municipalities, other political                                         
28       subdivisions of the state, nonprofit corporations formed under AS 10.20, churches and                             
29       religious organizations, Alaska Native tribal and nonprofit entities, and                                     
30       incorporated and unincorporated entities operating within the state that meet the                                 
31       requirements established by the department in regulation;