Laws & Policy

We implement policy advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels. Our work includes policy development, lobbying, coalition building, and community organizing.

Browse Laws & Policy

Focus areas

Keep Kids in School Act (2018)

SB 607 (Skinner)

Senate Bill 607 would limit the use of suspensions for any student who has “disrupted school activities or otherwise willfully defied the valid authority” of school personnel.
Inactive

Protecting Foster Youth From Abuse (2018)

AB 2323 (Rubio)

California does a poor job investigating cases of abuse and neglect of children in foster care. NCYL sought to protect the health and safety of children entrusted to the state's care by requiring timely investigations.
Inactive

Keeping Younger Children Out of the Juvenile Court System (2017)

SB 439 (Mitchell, Lara)

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recommends a minimum age of criminal responsibility of at least 12 years old. This excludes children 11 years old and younger from prosecution in juvenile court.
Enacted

Protecting Miranda Rights for Youth (2017)

SB 395 (Lara)

This bill would require youth under 18 to consult with counsel prior to waiving their rights during a custodial interrogation.
Enacted

Foster Youth Sexual Health Education Act (2017)

SB 89 (Leyva)

This law decreases the rate of unintended pregnancy among youth in California's foster care by improving access to comprehensive sexual health education, and ensures reproductive rights of youth in foster care are met.
Enacted

Judicial Authorization of Psychotropic Drug Administration to Foster Children (2017)

SB 253 (Monning)

This investment allows counties to closely monitor requests for prescriptions for youth in foster care that exceed the state guidelines.
Enacted

Caregiver Access to Education Records (2017)

SB 233 (Beall)

This law improves the coordination of educational services between caregivers of foster children, Local Education Agencies, Child Welfare Agencies, and education rights holders.
Enacted

School Navigators for System Involved Students (2017)

HB 411 (Gallegos)

This law enables each school district in New Mexico to provide continuous educational support to system-involved students.
Enacted

Educational Access for System Involved Students (2017)

SB 213/HB 301 (Kernan)

The bill ensures that students in New Mexico's care and students experiencing homelessness have a smooth transition between schools with full access to programs and services that are available to all other students.
Enacted