Removal of disabilities of minors; executing contracts for a residential lease.

For the sole purpose of ensuring that a youth in foster care will be able to execute a contract for the lease of residential property upon the youth’s 18th birthday, the disability of nonage of minors is removed for all youth who have reached 17 years of age, have been adjudicated dependent, and are in the legal custody of the Department of Children and Families through foster care or subsidized independent living. These youth are authorized to make and execute contracts, releases, and all other instruments necessary for the purpose of entering into a contract for the lease of residential property upon the youth’s 18th birthday. The contracts or other instruments made by the youth shall have the same effect as though they were the obligations of persons who were not minors. A youth seeking to enter into such lease contracts or execute other necessary instruments that are incidental to entering into a lease must present an order from a court of competent jurisdiction removing the disabilities of nonage of the minor under this section.