District of Columbia legislation · 26th Council
District of Columbia B399: Support, Opportunity, Unity, Legal Relationships (SOUL) Amendment Act of 2025
Status: Signed into law, August 28, 2026
As introduced, Bill 26-399 would establish a group of adults who provide support and legal relationships for young people ages 16 and older as they transition from foster care to adulthood. FISCAL NOTE - This legislation was passed Subject to Appropriations. Bill fully funded via Act 26-416. Please see Fiscal Impact Statement and Funding Certification Letter for more information.
What the bill says
An act. D.C. ACT 26-346 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA JUNE 24, 2026 To amend Chapter23ofTitle 16 ofthe DistrictofColumbia Official Code toestablish an additional permanencypathway that includes a circle of caringadults who provide support and legal relationships foryoung people aged 16 and older as they transition from foster careto adulthood; and to amend the Prevention ofChild Abuse and Neglect Act of 1977 to authorize the Child and Family Services Agency to conduct background checks ofadults in the new permanency pathways. BE ITENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
From the enrolled text, June 24, 2026:
AN ACT. D.C. ACT 26-346 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA JUNE 24, 2026 To amend Chapter23ofTitle 16 ofthe DistrictofColumbia Official Code toestablish an additional permanencypathway that includes a circle of caringadults who provide support and legal relationships foryoung people aged 16 and older as they transition from foster careto adulthood; and to amend the Prevention ofChild Abuse and Neglect Act of 1977 to authorize the Child and Family Services Agency to conduct background checks ofadults in the new permanency pathways. BE ITENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Thatthis act may be cited asthe "Support, Opportunity, Unity, Legal Relationships (SOUL) Amendment Act of2026". Sec. 2. Chapter23ofTitle 16ofthe DistrictofColumbia Code is amended asfollows: (a) The table ofcontents is amended byadding anew subchapter designation to read as follows: "SubchapterVIL. Support, Opportunity, Unity, Legal Relationships. "16-2399.21. Definitions. "16-2399.22, Selecting SOUL as a permanencyplan. "16-2399.23. Motion to establish a SOUL Family. "16-2399.24, Allocationofrights and responsibilities. '16-2399.25, SOUL Family agreement. "16-2399.26. Parties to aSOUL Familyproceeding. "16-2399.27. Notice. 16-2399.28. Conductofhearings. 16-2399.29, Adjudicatoryhearings. 16-2399.30, Effect ofaSOUL Familyorder. 16-2399.31. Jurisdiction. '[6-2399.32, SOUL Family orde--r finality, appeals, transcripts. "16-2399.33. Confidentiality ofrecords. "16-2399.34. Unlawful disclosure. ENROLLED ORIGINAL, "16-2399.35. Modification ofaSOUL Family order. "16-2399,36. Subsidy. "16-2399.37. Rules.". (b) Section 16-2323(c) is amended as or" and inserting a semicolon in its place. (2) Paragraph (4) is amended …