This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process after being sent to the Senate Committee on Finance for review. It is considered active, but no future hearings or votes have been scheduled yet. There is no companion bill mentioned at this time.
Legislative Progress
Senate
House
President
Law
Could go either way
This bill has strong bipartisan support from senior members of the committee that handles this funding, which usually helps a bill move forward.
Key Points
This bill helps young people in the foster care system deal with legal problems that might hold them back. It allows states to use existing federal money to pay for lawyers and legal advice for these kids.
Foster youth often face legal hurdles with things like school records, housing, or finding a job. This plan makes sure states look at these issues when they are helping a young person plan for their future.
The money can also be used to help fix issues with family records or custody. This is meant to help foster kids have a smoother transition into adulthood and living on their own.
If passed, the new rules would start about one year later. This gives states time to change their own laws if they need to so they can start offering these legal services.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
2 milestones2 actions
Jun 16, 2026Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Jun 16, 2026
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
No votes, news coverage, or related bills recorded for this bill yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Fresh Starts for Foster Youth Act
Bill NumberS 4797
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
