Legislators across the U.S. are taking action to address child and youth homelessness, focusing on access to vital documents, housing stability, health care, early childhood, and education. SchoolHouse Connection is advocating for or supporting multiple bills, including many of those highlighted below. For additional information, including how to get involved in your state, please contact Rodd Monts, Director of State Policy.

Improving Access to Vital Documents

• Maine (LD 408 and LD 431): These bills would allow unaccompanied youth to obtain birth certificates at no cost, and unaccompanied and foster youth driver’s licenses at no cost.
• Maryland (HB 247): Will extend the time frame for unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness under 19 to complete their provisional driver’s license exam.
• Missouri (SB 83/HB 1289): Would enable access to intermediate driver’s licenses, driver’s licenses and state ID for youth experiencing homelessness at no cost.
• Pennsylvania (HB 472): Allows youth experiencing homelessness to obtain driver’s license, learner’s permit or state ID for free. (Passed in the House; Now in the Senate)
• Rhode Island (SB 135): Would allow a youth experiencing homelessness and foster youth to obtain a state ID or birth certificate at no cost.
• South Dakota (HB 1074 and HB 1075): Grants free birth certificates and state IDs for youth experiencing homelessness. (Passed)
• Virginia (HB 1617): Provides free birth certificates, state IDs, and driver’s licenses for youth experiencing homelessness. (Passed)
• West Virginia (HB 2983): Would provide free state IDs, birth certificates, and replacement driver’s licenses for individuals experiencing homelessness. (Stalled in committee)

Supporting Homeless Students in Higher Education

• Kentucky (HB 568): Would require postsecondary institutions to appoint a homeless student liaison.
• Nevada (AB 397): Would require fee waivers for students experiencing homelessness at state universities.
• New Mexico (HB 537): Proposed college homeless liaison program (Stalled in committee).
• New York (A 6430): Would require colleges to designate homeless liaisons and connect students with essential services.
• Texas (HB 1784): Would expand homeless student support on campuses, aligning with services for former foster youth.
• Vermont (H. 246): Would require homeless liaisons at colleges, housing priority, and waived fees for impacted students.
• West Virginia (HB 3446): Would strongly encourage FAFSA completion for high school graduation to improve college access. (Stalled in committee)

Improving PreK-12 Outcomes

• Connecticut (SB 1): As part of broad education legislation, would identify students experiencing homelessness as at risk of becoming chronically absent. Would also require involvement of McKinney-Vento liaisons and consideration of the impact of homelessness, when entering into expulsion hearings. (Passed out of committee)
• Illinois (HB 3377): Would require school districts to report the amount of Title I Part A funding reserved for students experiencing homelessness, how such funds were spent, and other information.
• Maine (LD 193): Would create weighted funding to support students experiencing homelessness in school districts.
• Oklahoma (SB 799): Would allow McKinney-Vento liaisons and youth-serving agencies to be “alternate adults” in school communications.
• Oregon (HB 3151): Would adjust school funding to include additional resources for students experiencing homelessness.
• Texas (HB1785):  Would allow youth experiencing homelessness the ability to take a high school equivalency exam without consent from a parent or guardian.
• West Virginia (SB 214): Would mandate homeless education coordinators in urban and rural counties. (Stalled in committee)

Expanding Health Care Access

• Wisconsin (SB 70/AB 49): Would grant unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness the ability to consent to their own health care.

Funding Youth Homelessness Solutions

• Oregon (HB 3079): Would require updated cost estimates and a plan to allocate 30% of budgets to reducing youth homelessness.
• Vermont (H. 195): Would establish basic income support for youth experiencing homelessness aged 18-24.

Improving Access to Child Care and Preschool

• Iowa (HF 410, HF 411,  HF 412, HF 275): The package would increase child care reimbursements, waive copays, extend child care assistance for families experiencing homelessness, and prioritize homeless children for preschool enrollment.

Enhancing Student Housing Stability

• Maine (LD747): Would make permanent a program that provides up to $750 in emergency assistance for families to avoid homelessness.

Addressing Transportation Challenges

• New Jersey (A 4545/S 3537): Would require state support for transporting students experiencing homelessness to school.
• Washington (SB 5187): Would require a transportation funding analysis and additional funding for students experiencing homelessness.