(a) Notwithstanding paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 727, the probation agency may make an emergency placement of a minor ordered into its care, custody, and control with a relative or nonrelative extended family member.

(b) Prior to making the emergency placement, the probation agency shall do all of the following:

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(1) Conduct an in-home inspection to assess the safety of the home and the ability of the relative or nonrelative extended family member to care for the minor’s needs.

(2) Ensure that a state-level criminal records check is conducted by an appropriate government agency through the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS) pursuant to Section 16504.5 for all of the following:

(A) Any person over 18 years of age living in the home of the relative or nonrelative extended family member who seeks emergency placement of the minor, excluding any person who is a nonminor dependent, as defined in subdivision (v) of Section 11400.

(B) At the discretion of the probation agency, any person over 18 years of age known to the agency to be regularly present in the home, other than any professional providing professional services to the minor.

(C) At the discretion of the agency, any person over 14 years of age living in the home who the agency believes may have a criminal record, excluding any child who is under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.

(3) Conduct a check of allegations of prior child abuse or neglect concerning the relative or nonrelative extended family member and other adults in the home.

(c)  (1) If the CLETS information that is obtained pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) indicates that a person has no criminal record, the probation agency may place the minor in the home on an emergency basis.

(2) If the CLETS information obtained pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) indicates that a person has been convicted of an offense described in subparagraph (B) or (D) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of § 1522 of the Health and Safety Code, the minor shall not be placed in the home unless a criminal records exemption has been granted using the exemption criteria specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of § 1522 of the Health and Safety Code.

(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), a minor may be placed on an emergency basis if the CLETS information obtained pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) indicates that the person has been convicted of an offense not described in subclause (II) of clause (i) of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of § 1522 of the Health and Safety Code, pending a criminal records exemption decision based on live scan fingerprint results if all of the following conditions are met:

(A) The conviction does not involve an offense against a child.

(B) The chief probation officer, or their designee, determines that the placement is in the best interests of the minor.

(C) No party to the case objects to the placement.

(4) If the CLETS information obtained pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) indicates that the person has been arrested for any offense described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) of § 1522 of the Health and Safety Code, the minor shall not be placed on an emergency basis in the home until the investigation required by paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of § 1522 of the Health and Safety Code has been completed and the chief probation officer, or their designee, and the court have considered the investigation results when determining whether the placement is in the best interests of the child.

(5) If the CLETS information obtained pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) indicates that the person has been convicted of an offense described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (g) of § 1522 of the Health and Safety Code, the minor shall not be placed in the home on an emergency basis.

(6) Notwithstanding paragraphs (2) and (5), or the placement recommendation of the county probation agency, the court may authorize the placement of a child on an emergency basis in the home of a relative, regardless of the status of any criminal record exemption or resource family approval, if the court finds that the placement does not pose a risk to the health and safety of the child.

(d) If the relative or nonrelative extended family member has not submitted an application for approval as a resource family at the time of the emergency placement, the probation agency shall require the relative or nonrelative extended family member to submit the application and initiate the home environment assessment no later than five business days after the emergency placement.

(e) Unless the fingerprint clearance check has already been initiated, the probation agency shall ensure that, within five days of the emergency placement, a fingerprint clearance check of the relative or nonrelative extended family member and any other person whose criminal record was obtained pursuant to this section is initiated through the Department of Justice to ensure the accuracy of the criminal records check conducted through the CLETS and to ensure criminal record clearance of the relative or nonrelative extended family member and all adults in the home pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 16519.5 and any associated written directives or regulations.

(f) An identification card from a foreign consulate or foreign passport shall be considered a valid form of identification for conducting a criminal records check pursuant to this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 687, Sec. 10. (SB 354) Effective January 1, 2022.)