California considers bill for financial aid to COVID-19 orphans

*California State lawmakers now are considering legislation to provide financial support for the children who lost their parents to COVID-19 deaths in the state in the US

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

Among the nearly 1 million COVID-19 deaths recorded in the United States (US) since the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are parents who have left children behind.

ConsumerConnect learnt California State lawmakers now are considering legislation to provide financial support for the affected children in the state.

The bill, titled, the Hope, Opportunity, Perseverance, and Empowerment (HOPE) for Children Act, would support children who lost a parent or caregiver to COVID-19, and are in the state’s foster care system or a low-income household, according to the state legislators.

Meanwhile, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that over 200,000 Americans under the age of 18 lost a parent or adult caregiver to COVID-19 crisis.

This figure is an increase of 60,000 since October 2021, agency report said.