SB 773 Virginia Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Foster care; housing services, housing plan, report.

Summary
Foster care; housing services; housing plan; report. Requires local departments of social services to develop housing plans for individuals leaving foster care due to age that includes a description of housing options being pursued. The bill requires the Commissioner of Social Services to provide reports to the Governor and General Assembly on housing services for individuals aging out of foster care on or before October 1 of each year. The bill grants the Department of Social Services the authority to enter into a memorandum of understanding with local public housing authorities or housing programs to facilitate access to grant dollars for the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative under the Family Unification Program Housing Choice Vouchers. The bill directs local departments of social services to collaborate with local housing authorities to secure Family Unification Program Housing Choice Vouchers for certain youth enumerated in the bill. Finally, the bill directs local public housing authorities and local departments of social services to collaborate to administer the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative.
Bill status passed 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2024
Committee Review
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Jan 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Feb 2025
Governor
Introduced Dec 23, 2024 Last action Feb 18, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Rehabilitation and Social Services Substitute Engrossed · 4 edits · Jan 29, 2025
MODERATE
The bill was updated from a Senate Substitute to an Engrossed version, incorporating specific amendments to clarify who qualifies for housing assistance and how agencies must work together. The changes refine the eligibility criteria for the Foster Youth to Independence Initiative to align more closely with federal requirements and expand the definition of at-risk youth to include those aged 16 to 24.
Scope change
The scope of eligibility for housing vouchers was expanded and clarified to include youth aged 16 to 24 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, in addition to those aging out of foster care within 90 days or within the past five years.
ELIGIBILITY

Updated the eligibility criteria for housing vouchers to explicitly include youth aged 16 to 24 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, ensuring broader coverage for at-risk young adults.

Refined the definition of eligible youth to require that they have left or will leave foster care within 90 days in accordance with a specific federal transition plan.

REQUIREMENT

Added language to clarify that local agencies must collaborate to administer the initiative, replacing a phrase about taking 'any action required' with a direct mandate to 'collaborate'.

Removed the standalone requirement for local departments to secure vouchers for individuals at risk of homelessness, as this is now integrated into the broader, clarified eligibility section.

Floor votes · Senate Jan 27, 2025 · House of Delegates Feb 13, 2025

How they voted

360
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 40
Jan 27, 2025
D Democratic21
20 Yea 1
95% Yea
R Republican19
16 Yea 3
84% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
27
Key actions
8
Committee
7
Amendments
2
Feb 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported from Health and Human Services and referred to Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 13, 2025
House Of Delegates · Passed
House of Delegates Vote: pass (22-0)
house of delegates
Feb 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (8-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 6, 2025
Committee
Assigned sub: Social Services
lower
Feb 5, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services
lower
Jan 29, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate (38-Y 0-N)
upper
Jan 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Finance and Appropriations Amendments agreed to
upper
Jan 28, 2025
Introduced
Reading of amendments waived
upper
Jan 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Jan 23, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Finance and Appropriations with amendments (12-Y 0-N)
upper
Jan 17, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
upper
Dec 23, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Barbara Favola
Barbara Favola
DDemocratic
VA
40