I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8799 
To amend section 439 of the Social Security Act to authorize the funding 
of demonstration projects to test approaches for supporting and improv-
ing relationships between incarcerated parents and children in foster 
care, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 21, 2024 
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois (for himself and Mr. LAHOOD) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To amend section 439 of the Social Security Act to authorize 
the funding of demonstration projects to test approaches 
for supporting and improving relationships between in-
carcerated parents and children in foster care, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Promoting Active Rela-
tionships to Enable Nurturing Ties Act of 2024’’ or the 
‘‘PARENT Act of 2024’’. 
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SEC. 2. MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FOSTER 
CHILDREN AND INCARCERATED PARENTS. 
Section 439 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
629i) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 439. STATE PARTNERSHIP PLANNING AND DEM-
ONSTRATION GRANTS TO SUPPORT MEAN-
INGFUL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FOSTER 
CHILDREN AND THE INCARCERATED PAR-
ENTS OF THE CHILDREN. 
‘‘(a) AUTHORITY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make 
demonstration grants to eligible State partnerships 
to develop, implement, and provide support for pro-
grams that enable and sustain meaningful relation-
ships between covered foster children and the incar-
cerated parents of the children. 
‘‘(2) PAYMENT OF ANNUAL INSTALLMENTS.— 
The Secretary shall pay each demonstration grant in 
5 annual installments. 
‘‘(3) 1-YEAR
PLANNING
GRANTS.—The Sec-
retary may make a planning grant to a recipient of 
a demonstration grant, to be paid to the recipient 1 
year before payment of the 1st annual installment of 
the demonstration grant and in an amount not 
greater than any installment of the demonstration 
grant, if— 
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‘‘(A) the recipient includes a request for a 
planning grant in the application under sub-
section (c); and 
‘‘(B) the Secretary determines that a plan-
ning grant would assist the recipient and im-
prove the effectiveness of the demonstration 
grant. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE STATE PARTNERSHIP DEFINED.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In this section, the term 
‘eligible State partnership’ means an agreement en-
tered into by, at a minimum, the following: 
‘‘(A) The State child welfare agency re-
sponsible for the administration of the State 
plans under this part. 
‘‘(B) The State agency responsible for 
adult corrections. 
‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL PARTNERS.—For purposes of 
this section, an eligible State partnership may in-
clude any entity with experience in serving incarcer-
ated parents and their children. 
‘‘(3) PARTNERSHIPS ENTERED INTO BY INDIAN 
TRIBES
OR
TRIBAL
CONSORTIA.—Notwithstanding 
paragraph (1), if an Indian tribe or tribal consor-
tium enters into a partnership pursuant to this sec-
tion that does not consist solely of tribal child wel-
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fare agencies (or a consortium of the agencies), the 
partnership shall be considered an eligible State 
partnership for purposes of this section. 
‘‘(c) APPLICATION
REQUIREMENTS.—An eligible 
State partnership seeking a demonstration grant under 
this section to carry out a program described in subsection 
(a)(1) shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
the Secretary may require. The application shall include 
the following: 
‘‘(1) A summary of the program, including how 
the program will support a meaningful relationship 
between a covered foster child and an incarcerated 
parent of the child. 
‘‘(2) A description of the activities to be carried 
out by the program, which must include all of the 
activities described in subsection (d) that are in the 
best interest of the covered foster child. 
‘‘(3) A framework for identifying— 
‘‘(A) each covered foster child eligible for 
services under the program, including, to the 
extent practicable, coordination of data between 
relevant State child welfare agencies and court 
systems; and 
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