16013. (Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 557, Sec. 5.)

(a) It is the policy of this state that all persons engaged in providing care and services to foster children, including, but not limited to, foster parents, adoptive parents, relative caregivers, and other caregivers contracting with a county welfare department, shall have fair and equal access to all available programs, services, benefits, and licensing processes, and shall not be subjected to discrimination or harassment on the basis of their clients’ or their own actual or perceived race, ethnic group identification, ancestry, national origin, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental or physical disability, or HIV status.

(b) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to create or modify existing preferences for foster placements or to limit the local placement agency’s ability to make placement decisions for a child based on the child’s best interests.