In a major step toward dignity and respect for foster youth, New York state lawmakers have reached an agreement on a new bill that requires child welfare agencies to provide appropriate luggage to children in foster care. This legislative move comes after continued outcry over foster youth being forced to carry their belongings in trash bags while transitioning between homes.
The bill, known as the “Duffel Bag Bill,” seeks to prohibit the practice of giving foster children garbage bags to move their personal items. Instead, it mandates that counties provide clean and suitable luggage, like duffel bags or suitcases, to every child in care. The aim is to protect the self-worth of children in an already vulnerable system and to ensure they are treated with the dignity they deserve.
Advocates and former foster youth have long criticized the use of trash bags, calling it a symbol of dehumanization and neglect within the foster care system. For many, the act of placing all their possessions into a trash bag sends a damaging message—that their lives and belongings are disposable. This new legislation is a direct response to that stigma and aims to correct it.
The bill passed as part of a broader budget negotiation between lawmakers and the governor’s office. State Senator Jabari Brisport, a champion for foster youth rights, emphasized that this measure is more than symbolic. “Children in our care should never be made to feel like they are being discarded. This bill is a promise to treat them with the respect every child deserves,” Brisport stated.
Once signed into law, the measure will require immediate compliance from all child welfare agencies throughout the state. Funding and logistical planning for distributing proper luggage will also be implemented as part of the new directive.
Foster care advocates and nonprofit organizations have welcomed the bill as a victory, noting that while it doesn’t solve all the challenges within the system, it represents a significant step forward in improving the everyday experiences of foster youth.
This legislative progress highlights a broader national conversation about the rights and treatment of children in foster care and adds momentum to similar initiatives being proposed in other states.