(a) A nonminor who has not attained 21 years of age may petition the court in which he or she was previously found to be a dependent or delinquent child of the juvenile court for a hearing to determine whether to assume dependency jurisdiction over the nonminor, if he or she meets any of the following descriptions:

(1) He or she is a nonminor former dependent, as defined in subdivision (aa) of Section 11400, who received or, but for the receipt of Supplemental Security Income benefits or other aid from the federal Social Security Administration, would have received aid after attaining 18 years of age under Kin-GAP pursuant to Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 11360) or Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385) of Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 9, or AFDC-FC pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 11405, and whose former guardian or guardians died after the nonminor attained 18 years of age, but before he or she attains 21 years of age.

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(2) He or she is a nonminor former dependent, as defined in subdivision (aa) of Section 11400, who received or, but for the receipt of Supplemental Security Income benefits or other aid from the federal Social Security Administration, would have received aid after attaining 18 years of age under Kin-GAP pursuant to Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 11360) or Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385) of Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 9, or AFDC-FC pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 11405, and whose former guardian or guardians no longer provide ongoing support to, and no longer receive aid on behalf of, the nonminor after the nonminor attained 18 years of age, but before he or she attains 21 years of age.

(3) He or she is a nonminor who received adoption assistance payments after attaining 18 years of age pursuant to Chapter 2.1 (commencing with Section 16115) of Part 4 of Division 9 and his or her adoptive parent or parents died after the nonminor attained 18 years of age, but before he or she attains 21 years of age.

(4) He or she is a nonminor who received adoption assistance payments after attaining 18 years of age pursuant to Chapter 2.1 (commencing with Section 16115) of Part 4 of Division 9 and his or her adoptive parent or parents no longer provide ongoing support to, and no longer receive benefits on behalf of, the nonminor after the nonminor attained 18 years of age, but before he or she attains 21 years of age.

(b) (1) The petition to assume jurisdiction may be filed in either of the following:

(A) The juvenile court that established the guardianship pursuant to Section 360, Section 366.26, or subdivision (d) of Section 728.

(B) The juvenile court that had jurisdiction over the minor or nonminor dependent when his or her adoption was finalized.

(2) A nonminor described in subdivision (a) may submit a petition to assume dependency jurisdiction to the juvenile court in the county where he or she resides. A petition submitted pursuant to this paragraph shall, within five days of submission, be forwarded to the court that had jurisdiction over the child at the time of the guardianship or adoption. The clerk of the court that had jurisdiction over the child at the time of the guardianship or adoption shall file the petition within one judicial day of receipt.

(c) (1) The juvenile court in which the petition was filed shall order a hearing to be held within 15 judicial days of the date the petition was filed if there is a prima facie showing that the nonminor satisfies all of the following criteria:

(A) He or she was a minor under juvenile court jurisdiction at the time of the establishment of a guardianship pursuant to Section 360, Section 366.26, or subdivision (d) of Section 728, or he or she was a minor or nonminor dependent when his or her adoption was finalized.

(B) (i) His or her guardian or guardians, or adoptive parent or parents, as applicable, died after the nonminor attained 18 years of age, but before he or she attained 21 years of age.

(ii) His or her guardian or guardians, or adoptive parent or parents, as applicable, no longer provide ongoing support to, and no longer receive payment on behalf of, the nonminor after the nonminor attained 18 years of age, but before he or she attained 21 years of age, and it may be in the nonminor’s best interest for the court to assume dependency jurisdiction.

(C) He or she intends to satisfy at least one of the conditions set forth in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (b) of Section 11403.

(D) He or she is requesting assistance in maintaining or securing appropriate supervised placement, or needs immediate placement and agrees to supervised placement pursuant to the voluntary reentry agreement described in subdivision (z) of Section 11400.

(2) Upon ordering a hearing, the court shall give prior notice, or cause prior notice to be given, to the nonminor, the appropriate child welfare agency or probation department, and any other person requested by the nonminor in the petition.

(3) Pursuant to applicable rules of court, the juvenile court shall allow for telephonic appearances by the nonminor in these proceedings and in any proceeding in which the nonminor dependent is a party.

(4) Prior to the hearing, the court shall order the county child welfare or probation department to prepare a report for the court that addresses both of the following:

(A) The nonminor’s plans to satisfy at least one of the criteria set forth in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (b) of Section 11403.

(B) The appropriate placement setting for the nonminor. When the recommendation is for the nonminor to be placed in a setting where minor dependents also reside, the results of a background check of the petitioning nonminor conducted pursuant to Section 16504.5 may be used by the placing agency to determine appropriate placement options for him or her.

(5) The court shall assume dependency jurisdiction over a former dependent or ward, and order his or her placement and care be under the responsibility of the county child welfare services department, the probation department, tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization, if the court finds all of the following:

(A) The nonminor was a minor under juvenile court jurisdiction at the time of the establishment of a guardianship pursuant to Section 360, Section 366.26, or subdivision (d) of Section 728, or he or she was a dependent at the time his or her adoption was finalized.

(B) The nonminor’s guardian or guardians, or adoptive parent or parents, as applicable, have died, or no longer provide ongoing support to, and no longer receive payment on behalf of, the nonminor, and it is in the nonminor’s best interests for the court to assume dependency jurisdiction.

(C) The nonminor has not attained 21 years of age.

(D) Reentry and remaining in foster care are in the nonminor’s best interests.

(E) The nonminor intends to satisfy, and agrees to satisfy, at least one of the criteria set forth in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (b) of Section 11403, and demonstrates his or her agreement to placement in a supervised setting under the placement and care responsibility of the placing agency by signing the voluntary reentry agreement described in subdivision (z) of Section 11400.

(6) The existence of a criminal conviction is not a bar to eligibility for reentry to foster care or assumption of dependency jurisdiction over a nonminor.

(7) The court shall not grant a continuance that would cause the hearing to be completed more than 120 days after the date the petition is filed.

(d) The agency made responsible for the nonminor’s placement and care pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (c) shall prepare a new transitional independent living case plan within 60 calendar days of the date the nonminor signs the voluntary reentry agreement and shall submit the plan to the court for the review hearing specified in Section 366.31, to be held within 70 days of the assumption of dependency jurisdiction. The review hearing under Section 366.31 shall not be held more than 170 calendar days from the date the nonminor signs the voluntary reentry agreement.

(e) (1) A nonminor described in subdivision (a) may enter into a voluntary reentry agreement as defined in subdivision (z) of Section 11400 in order to establish eligibility for foster care benefits under subdivision (e) of Section 11401 before or after filing a petition to assume dependency jurisdiction. If the nonminor enters into a voluntary reentry agreement prior to filing the petition, the nonminor is entitled to placement and supervision pending the court’s assumption of jurisdiction.

(2) If the nonminor completes a voluntary reentry agreement with a placing agency, the placing agency shall file the petition to assume dependency jurisdiction on behalf of the nonminor within 15 judicial days of the date the agreement is signed, unless the nonminor elects to file the petition at an earlier date.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 539, Sec. 1. (AB 2337) Effective January 1, 2019.)