Children leaving Missouri's foster care system after their 18th birthday would be able to return to state custody under a bill sent to Gov. Jay Nixon.
The House passed the measure 150-9 on Monday. The Senate gave it unanimous approval earlier this year.
Missouri currently lets children remain in the foster care system until they're 21 but prohibits re-entry if they leave after turning 18. The legislation would allow those children who leave the system to re-enter until they turn 21.
The bill is sponsored by Democratic Sen. Jolie Justus, of Kansas City. She says it allows children to come back into the system if they have trouble in the "real world."