Governor Signs Foster Youth Auto Insurance Bill
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Governor Eric Holcomb has signed Senate Enrolled Act 246 making it easier for teens and young adults in foster care to pay for automobile insurance and driving practice costs. However, Indiana-based nonprofit Foster Success says more work needs to be done.
The legislation directs the Indiana Department of Child Services to administer the funds. Foster Success says the money would be placed into a trust from creating an ‘Insuring Foster Youth Trust’ specialty license plate, along with private contributions and possible future appropriations.
However, the nonprofit says the legislation is not finalized until a petition receives 500 signatures by the end of March of people who intend on purchasing the specialty plate.
“The Governor’s signature does not signal the end of this journey to remove barriers to self-sufficiency for Indiana’s older foster youth,” said Foster Success CEO and President Dr. Maggie Stevens. “We need Hoosiers to step up and sign the petition to support the license plate. We are on a very tight deadline, and it will take a significant push to gather the necessary signatures by March 30.”
Interested Hoosiers can sign the petition here.
Foster Success says those in foster care must sometimes pay up to 40% or more for insurance than their peers not in the foster system. The fund would help with some of those costs and help foster children afford transportation to work or school.
The bill would also make foster youth eligible for the Indiana Automobile Insurance Program, which is a state-administered program covering drivers without access to other insurance.
The entire bill can be seen here.