By Laurence Du Sault, The Mercury News, February 22, 2021
Borrowing from a Santa Clara County program he proposed, state Sen. Dave Cortese has introduced legislation to provide $1,000 monthly cash payments for California’s foster care youth as they leave the child welfare system.
“I can’t think of a more urgent time to roll out this kind of assistance,” Cortese said during an online press conference Monday. “Especially as they enter the adult world during an economic decline caused by COVID-19.”
The bill — SB 739 — would create a pilot basic income program offering the roughly 2,500 California youth transitioning out of the foster care system this year at age 21 unconditional direct monthly payments for three years. Cortese, D-San Jose, estimates that would cost the state approximately $30 million. It’s not clear whether the money would come from the state’s general fund. Cortese said his team is still determining “where the best bucket is” in terms of state funding.
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