Subcommittee advances bill to waive fees for vital records for homeless youth
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Summary
House Bill 1617, as amended to remove health records from the list of covered documents, would waive fees for homeless youth to obtain vital records and state IDs; the subcommittee passed the substituted bill and will refer it to Appropriations.
House Bill 1617 would waive certain fees for youth experiencing homelessness to obtain vital documents such as birth certificates, driver’s licenses and state ID cards. A substitute amendment removed “health records” from the list of documents at the Department of Health’s request.
The patron, Delegate McClure, said nearly 20,000 students were identified as experiencing homelessness in the 2022–23 school year and that lack of vital records impedes access to education, employment, housing, and benefits. The bill would allow certification of homelessness by McKinney–Vento liaisons, school social workers, counselors and other qualified providers to support fee waivers.
Supporters included Valerie LaRue of the Virginia Poverty Law Center, Lisonbee Gilbert (Voices for Virginia’s Children), and Wes Gibson of the Virginia Education Association. Rob Montz of SchoolHouse Connection (joining online) said the proposal mirrors measures adopted in other states and would remove administrative barriers for youth.
The subcommittee voted to report the bill as substituted and refer it to Appropriations; the hearing record indicates unanimous support and the bill will be considered by the full committee.