(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the department may enter into an agreement, in accordance with Section 1919 of Title 25 of the United States Code, and consistent with Section 16000.6, with any California Indian tribe or any out-of-state Indian tribe that has reservation lands that extend into this state, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization regarding the care and custody of Indian children and jurisdiction over Indian child custody proceedings, including, but not limited to, agreements that provide for orderly transfer of jurisdiction on a case-by-case basis, for exclusive tribal or state jurisdiction, or for concurrent jurisdiction between the state and tribes.

(b) (1) An agreement under subdivision (a) regarding the care and custody of Indian children shall provide for the delegation to the tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization of the responsibility that would otherwise be the responsibility of the county for the provision of child welfare services or assistance payments under the AFDC-FC program, or both.

(2) An agreement under subdivision (a) concerning the provision of child welfare services shall ensure that a tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization meets current service delivery standards provided for under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 16500) of Part 4, and provides the tribal matching share of costs required by Section 10553.11.

(3) An agreement under subdivision (a) concerning assistance payments under the AFDC-FC program shall ensure that a tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization meets current foster care standards provided for under Article 5 (commencing with Section 11400) of Chapter 2 of Part 3, and provides the tribal matching share of costs required by Section 10553.11.

(4) An agreement under subdivision (a) concerning adoption assistance shall ensure that a tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization meets the current service delivery standards provided for under Chapter 2.1 (commencing with Section 16115) of Part 4, and provides the tribal matching share of costs required by Section 10553.11.

(c) Upon the implementation date of an agreement authorized by subdivision (b), the county that would otherwise be responsible for providing the child welfare services or AFDC-FC payments specified in the agreement as being provided by the tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization shall no longer be subject to that responsibility to children served under the agreement.

(d) Upon the effective date of an agreement authorized by subdivision (b), the tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization shall comply with fiscal reporting requirements specified by the department for federal and state reimbursement child welfare or AFDC-FC services for programs operated under the agreement.

(e) An Indian tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization, that is a party to an agreement under subdivision (a), shall, in accordance with the agreement, be eligible to receive allocations of child welfare services funds.

(f) An Indian tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization, that is a party to an agreement under subdivision (a), may, in accordance with the agreement, be eligible to receive an allocation of child welfare services funds to assist in funding the startup costs associated with establishing a comprehensive child welfare services program. The allocation shall be available for expenditure by the Indian tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization for three years of the agreement under subdivision (a). The department may extend the time for expenditure of the allocation upon a showing of good cause by the party seeking an extension. This subdivision shall be implemented only to the extent that funding is expressly provided in the annual Budget Act for these purposes.

(g) Implementation of an agreement under subdivision (a) does not impose liability upon, or to require indemnification by, the participating county or the State of California for any act or omission performed by an officer, agent, or employee of the participating tribe, consortium of tribes, or tribal organization, pursuant to this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 454, Sec. 1. (SB 876) Effective September 17, 2018.)