May is National Foster Care Month and here on Guam, lawmakers marked the occasion with a major push to strengthen protections for foster children.  Spearheaded by Senator Shelly calvo and the Committee on Child Welfare and Youth Affairs, Bill 139 sets out to establish a “Foster Care Bill of Rights”.

“The Foster Care Bill of Rights Act of 2025 establishes a formal set of safeguards for foster children and the families who care for them. This legislation ensures that foster youth are provided a secure and supportive environment with clearly defined legal protections that affirm their dignity and well-being," the freshman senator said.

If passed, foster youth on Guam would have the right to live in a safe, home, to be placed in environments that understand their communication and cultural needs. They would also be guaranteed the right to privacy, personal space, access to education, healthcare, and nutritious food – basic dignities many foster children have gone without.

CEO of the National Foster Youth Institute Rebecca Louve Yao provided testimony on the measure, emphasizing the need for real enforcement. She called for education, legal access, hot lines, and including insight from current and former foster children throughout the act’s implementation.

“As a former foster youth myself," she said, "I see a chance to be seen, heard, and cared for in ways I once longed for. At NFYI we say that foster youth are not someone else’s children. They’re all of our children.”

With strong support from local officials and national advocates, bill 139 could help transform Guam’s foster care system for the better.