Welfare and Institutions Code section 18997.58

(a)

It is the intent of the Legislature that all eligible children will be automatically enrolled for a HOPE trust account to the extent possible. To achieve this goal, the Treasurer shall do both of the following:

(1)

(A)Collaborate with the State Department of Social Services pursuant to a data-sharing agreement, and any other relevant governmental agencies or departments, to gather data to maximize participation in the HOPE Trust Account Program for eligible children and youth. For purposes of this subdivision, the information received by the Treasurer shall only be utilized to the extent allowable by federal and state law, regulation, and guidance and only for the purposes of facilitating enrollment in the HOPE Trust Account Program.

(B)

Notwithstanding Section 827 and 10850, the State Department of Social Services shall provide the Treasurer with information necessary to verify foster care status for the sole purpose of determining eligibility for a HOPE trust account.

(C)

This paragraph shall be implemented only to the extent permitted by federal law.

(D)

The State Department of Social Services shall seek any federal approvals that it deems necessary to implement this paragraph.

(2)

Collaborate with the State Department of Public Health, and any other relevant governmental agencies or research institutions, to identify parents, Indian custodians, or legal guardians of children who have lost a parent, Indian custodian, or legal guardian as a result of a COVID-19-related death for the purpose of conducting outreach to those families about the HOPE Trust Account Program.

(b)

The Treasurer shall comply with federal and state laws to protect individual privacy, including, but not limited to, the Information Practices Act of 1977 (Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1798) of Title 1.8 of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code).

(c)

Notwithstanding any other law, individual records or source data associated with the establishment of a HOPE trust account pursuant to this chapter shall not be subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code).

(d)

Notwithstanding any other law, the Treasurer may share HOPE trust account data with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), and California research institutes supported by ASPE, including, but not limited to, the Center for Poverty and Inequality Research at the University of California, Davis, and the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality at Stanford University, to conduct and report on research related to the impact of the HOPE trust accounts. The Treasurer may only share data pursuant to this subdivision to the extent that it also complies with federal and state laws to protect individual privacy in accordance with subdivision (b).