Foster youth: identity theft.

Under existing law, a county welfare department is required to request a consumer disclosure, pursuant to federal law, on behalf of a youth in a foster care placement in the county, when the youth reaches his or her 16th birthday, in order to ascertain whether the youth has been the victim of identity theft. If the consumer disclosure reveals any negative items, or evidence that identity theft has occurred, existing law requires the county welfare department to refer the youth to an approved organization that provides services to victims of identity theft. Existing law requires the department to develop a list of approved organizations for this purpose, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association and others. This bill would revise the above provisions to require the county welfare department or the State Department of Social Services to ascertain whether identity theft may have occurred under the described circumstances. The bill would permit the matter to be referred to a governmental agency or nonprofit organization that provides information and assistance to victims of identity theft, rather than to an approved counseling organization. The bill would authorize the agency or the nonprofit organization to take remedial actions to clear the youth's credit record and to report the results to the county welfare department. The bill would require the Office of Privacy Protection, in consultation with the State Department of Social Services and other specified entities, to develop a list of governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations to which the matter may be referred for assistance in responding to an instance of suspected identity theft.