H. R. 4980 
One Hundred Thirteenth Congress 
of the 
United States of America 
AT THE SECOND SESSION 
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, 
the third day of January, two thousand and fourteen 
An Act 
To prevent and address sex trafficking of children in foster care, to extend and 
improve adoption incentives, and to improve international child support recovery. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Preventing Sex Trafficking and 
Strengthening Families Act’’. 
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents of this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
Sec. 3. References. 
TITLE I—PROTECTING CHILDREN AND YOUTH AT RISK OF SEX 
TRAFFICKING 
Subtitle A—Identifying and Protecting Children and Youth at Risk of Sex 
Trafficking 
Sec. 101. Identifying, documenting, and determining services for children and 
youth at risk of sex trafficking. 
Sec. 102. Reporting instances of sex trafficking. 
Sec. 103. Including sex trafficking data in the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis 
and Reporting System. 
Sec. 104. Locating and responding to children who run away from foster care. 
Sec. 105. Increasing information on children in foster care to prevent sex traf-
ficking. 
Subtitle B—Improving Opportunities for Children in Foster Care and Supporting 
Permanency 
Sec. 111. Supporting normalcy for children in foster care. 
Sec. 112. Improving another planned permanent living arrangement as a perma-
nency option. 
Sec. 113. Empowering foster children age 14 and older in the development of their 
own case plan and transition planning for a successful adulthood. 
Sec. 114. Ensuring foster children have a birth certificate, Social Security card, 
health insurance information, medical records, and a driver’s license or 
equivalent State-issued identification card. 
Sec. 115. Information on children in foster care in annual reports using AFCARS 
data; consultation. 
Subtitle C—National Advisory Committee 
Sec. 121. Establishment of a national advisory committee on the sex trafficking of 
children and youth in the United States. 
TITLE II—IMPROVING ADOPTION INCENTIVES AND EXTENDING FAMILY 
CONNECTION GRANTS 
Subtitle A—Improving Adoption Incentive Payments 
Sec. 201. Extension of program through fiscal year 2016.
H. R. 4980—2 
Sec. 202. Improvements to award structure. 
Sec. 203. Renaming of program. 
Sec. 204. Limitation on use of incentive payments. 
Sec. 205. Increase in period for which incentive payments are available for expendi-
ture. 
Sec. 206. State report on calculation and use of savings resulting from the phase- 
out of eligibility requirements for adoption assistance; requirement to 
spend 30 percent of savings on certain services. 
Sec. 207. Preservation of eligibility for kinship guardianship assistance payments 
with a successor guardian. 
Sec. 208. Data collection on adoption and legal guardianship disruption and dis-
solution. 
Sec. 209. Encouraging the placement of children in foster care with siblings. 
Sec. 210. Effective dates. 
Subtitle B—Extending the Family Connection Grant Program 
Sec. 221. Extension of family connection grant program. 
TITLE III—IMPROVING INTERNATIONAL CHILD SUPPORT RECOVERY 
Sec. 301. Amendments to ensure access to child support services for international 
child support cases. 
Sec. 302. Child support enforcement programs for Indian tribes. 
Sec. 303. Sense of the Congress regarding offering of voluntary parenting time ar-
rangements. 
Sec. 304. Data exchange standardization for improved interoperability. 
Sec. 305. Report to Congress. 
Sec. 306. Required electronic processing of income withholding. 
TITLE IV—BUDGETARY EFFECTS 
Sec. 401. Determination of budgetary effects. 
SEC. 3. REFERENCES. 
Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Act, wherever 
in this Act an amendment is expressed in terms of an amendment 
to a section or other provision, the amendment shall be considered 
to be made to a section or other provision of the Social Security 
Act. 
TITLE I—PROTECTING CHILDREN AND 
YOUTH AT RISK OF SEX TRAFFICKING 
Subtitle 
A—Identifying 
and 
Protecting 
Children and Youth at Risk of Sex Traf-
ficking 
SEC. 101. IDENTIFYING, DOCUMENTING, AND DETERMINING SERVICES 
FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH AT RISK OF SEX TRAFFICKING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 471(a)(9) (42 U.S.C. 671(a)(9)) is 
amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘and’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘and’’ after the semi-
colon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) not later than— 
‘‘(i) 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
subparagraph, demonstrate to the Secretary that the 
State agency has developed, in consultation with State 
and local law enforcement, juvenile justice systems, 
health 
care 
providers, 
education 
agencies, 
and 
organizations with experience in dealing with at-risk
H. R. 4980—3 
children and youth, policies and procedures (including 
relevant training for caseworkers) for identifying, docu-
menting in agency records, and determining appro-
priate services with respect to— 
‘‘(I) any child or youth over whom the State 
agency has responsibility for placement, care, or 
supervision and who the State has reasonable 
cause to believe is, or is at risk of being, a sex 
trafficking victim (including children for whom a 
State child welfare agency has an open case file 
but who have not been removed from the home, 
children who have run away from foster care and 
who have not attained 18 years of age or such 
older age as the State has elected under section 
475(8) of this Act, and youth who are not in foster 
care but are receiving services under section 477 
of this Act); and 
‘‘(II) at the option of the State, any individual 
who has not attained 26 years of age, without 
regard to whether the individual is or was in foster 
care under the responsibility of the State; and 
‘‘(ii) 2 years after such date of enactment, dem-
onstrate to the Secretary that the State agency is 
implementing the policies and procedures referred to 
in clause (i).’’. 
(b) DEFINITION OF SEX TRAFFICKING VICTIM.—Section 475 (42 
U.S.C. 675) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(9) The term ‘sex trafficking victim’ means a victim of— 
‘‘(A) sex trafficking (as defined in section 103(10) of 
the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000); or 
‘‘(B) a severe form of trafficking in persons described 
in section 103(9)(A) of such Act.’’. 
SEC. 102. REPORTING INSTANCES OF SEX TRAFFICKING. 
(a) STATE PLAN REQUIREMENTS.—Section 471(a) (42 U.S.C. 
671(a)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph (32); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (33) 
and inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(34) provides that, for each child or youth described in 
paragraph (9)(C)(i)(I), the State agency shall— 
‘‘(A) not later than 2 years after the date of the enact-
ment of this paragraph, report immediately, and in no 
case later than 24 hours after receiving information on 
children or youth who have been identified as being a 
sex trafficking victim, to the law enforcement authorities; 
and 
‘‘(B) not later than 3 years after such date of enactment 
and annually thereafter, report to the Secretary the total 
number of children and youth who are sex trafficking vic-
tims.’’. 
(b) DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.—Section 471 (42 U.S.C. 671) 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) ANNUAL REPORTS BY THE SECRETARY ON NUMBER OF CHIL-
DREN AND YOUTH REPORTED BY STATES TO BE SEX TRAFFICKING 
VICTIMS.—Not later than 4 years after the date of the enactment
H. R. 4980—4 
of this subsection and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall report 
to the Congress and make available to the public on the Internet 
website of the Department of Health and Human Services the 
number of children and youth reported in accordance with sub-
section (a)(34)(B) of this section to be sex trafficking victims (as 
defined in section 475(9)(A)).’’. 
SEC. 103. INCLUDING SEX TRAFFICKING DATA IN THE ADOPTION AND 
FOSTER CARE ANALYSIS AND REPORTING SYSTEM. 
Section 479(c)(3) (42 U.S.C. 679(c)(3)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (C)(iii), by striking ‘‘and’’ after the 
comma; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(E) the annual number of children in foster care who 
are identified as sex trafficking victims— 
‘‘(i) who were such victims before entering foster 
care; and 
‘‘(ii) who were such victims while in foster care; 
and’’. 
SEC. 104. LOCATING AND RESPONDING TO CHILDREN WHO RUN AWAY 
FROM FOSTER CARE. 
Section 471(a) (42 U.S.C. 671(a)), as amended by section 102(a) 
of this Act, is amended— 
(1) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (34) 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(35) provides that— 
‘‘(A) not later than 1 year after the date of the enact-
ment of this paragraph, the State shall develop and imple-
ment specific protocols for— 
‘‘(i) expeditiously locating any child missing from 
foster care; 
‘‘(ii) determining the primary factors that contrib-
uted to the child’s running away or otherwise being 
absent from care, and to the extent possible and appro-
priate, responding to those factors in current and sub-
sequent placements; 
‘‘(iii) determining the child’s experiences while 
absent from care, including screening the child to deter-
mine if the child is a possible sex trafficking victim 
(as defined in section 475(9)(A)); and 
‘‘(iv) reporting such related information as required 
by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(B) not later than 2 years after such date of enact-
ment, for each child and youth described in paragraph 
(9)(C)(i)(I) of this subsection, the State agency shall report 
immediately, and in no case later than 24 hours after 
receiving, information on missing or abducted children or 
youth to the law enforcement authorities for entry into 
the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database 
of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, established pursu-
ant to section 534 of title 28, United States Code, and 
to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Chil-
dren.’’.
H. R. 4980—5 
SEC. 105. INCREASING INFORMATION ON CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE 
TO PREVENT SEX TRAFFICKING. 
Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit 
to the Congress a written report which summarizes the following: 
(1) Information on children who run away from foster care 
and their risk of becoming sex trafficking victims, using data 
reported by States under section 479 of the Social Security 
Act and information collected by States related to section 
471(a)(35) of such Act, including— 
(A) characteristics of children who run away from foster 
care; 
(B) potential factors associated with children running 
away from foster care (such as reason for entry into care, 
length of stay in care, type of placement, and other factors 
that contributed to the child’s running away); 
(C) information on children’s experiences while absent 
from care; and 
(D) trends in the number of children reported as run-
aways in each fiscal year (including factors that may have 
contributed to changes in such trends). 
(2) Information on State efforts to provide specialized serv-
ices, foster family homes, child care institutions, or other forms 
of placement for children who are sex trafficking victims. 
(3) Information on State efforts to ensure children in foster 
care form and maintain long-lasting connections to caring 
adults, even when a child in foster care must move to another 
foster family home or when the child is placed under the 
supervision of a new caseworker. 
Subtitle B—Improving Opportunities for 
Children in Foster Care and Supporting 
Permanency 
SEC. 111. SUPPORTING NORMALCY FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE. 
(a) REASONABLE AND PRUDENT PARENT STANDARD.— 
(1) DEFINITIONS RELATING TO THE STANDARD.—Section 475 
(42 U.S.C. 675), as amended by section 101(b) of this Act, 
is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(10)(A) The term ‘reasonable and prudent parent standard’ 
means the standard characterized by careful and sensible 
parental decisions that maintain the health, safety, and best 
interests of a child while at the same time encouraging the 
emotional and developmental growth of the child, that a care-
giver shall use when determining whether to allow a child 
in foster care under the responsibility of the State to participate 
in extracurricular, enrichment, cultural, and social activities. 
‘‘(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term ‘caregiver’ 
means a foster parent with whom a child in foster care has 
been placed or a designated official for a child care institution 
in which a child in foster care has been placed. 
‘‘(11)(A) The term ‘age or developmentally-appropriate’ 
means— 
‘‘(i) activities or items that are generally accepted as 
suitable for children of the same chronological age or level
H. R. 4980—6 
of maturity or that are determined to be developmentally- 
appropriate for a child, based on the development of cog-
nitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral capacities that 
are typical for an age or age group; and 
‘‘(ii) in the case of a specific child, activities or items 
that are suitable for the child based on the developmental 
stages attained by the child with respect to the cognitive, 
emotional, physical, and behavioral capacities of the child. 
‘‘(B) In the event that any age-related activities have 
implications relative to the academic curriculum of a child, 
nothing in this part or part B shall be construed to authorize 
an officer or employee of the Federal Government to mandate, 
direct, or control a State or local educational agency, or the 
specific instructional content, academic achievement standards 
and assessments, curriculum, or program of instruction of a 
school.’’. 
(2) STATE
PLAN
REQUIREMENT.—Section 471(a)(24) (42 
U.S.C. 671(a)(24)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘include’’ and inserting ‘‘includes’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘and that such preparation’’ and 
inserting ‘‘that the preparation’’; and 
(C) by inserting ‘‘, and that the preparation shall 
include knowledge and skills relating to the reasonable 
and prudent parent standard for the participation of the 
child in age or developmentally-appropriate activities, 
including knowledge and skills relating to the develop-
mental stages of the cognitive, emotional, physical, and 
behavioral capacities of a child, and knowledge and skills 
relating to applying the standard to decisions such as 
whether to allow the child to engage in social, extra-
curricular, enrichment, cultural, and social activities, 
including sports, field trips, and overnight activities lasting 
1 or more days, and to decisions involving the signing 
of permission slips and arranging of transportation for 
the child to and from extracurricular, enrichment, and 
social activities’’ before the semicolon. 
(3) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall provide assistance to the States on best 
practices for devising strategies to assist foster parents in 
applying a reasonable and prudent parent standard in a 
manner that protects child safety, while also allowing children 
to experience normal and beneficial activities, including 
methods for appropriately considering the concerns of the 
biological parents of a child in decisions related to participation 
of the child in activities (with the understanding that those 
concerns should not necessarily determine the participation 
of the child in any activity). 
(b) NORMALCY FOR CHILDREN IN CHILD CARE INSTITUTIONS.— 
Section 471(a)(10) (42 U.S.C. 671(a)(10)) is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(10) provides— 
‘‘(A) for the establishment or designation of a State 
authority or authorities that shall be responsible for estab-
lishing and maintaining standards for foster family homes 
and child care institutions which are reasonably in accord 
with recommended standards of national organizations con-
cerned with standards for the institutions or homes,
H. R. 4980—7 
including standards related to admission policies, safety, 
sanitation, and protection of civil rights, and which shall 
permit use of the reasonable and prudent parenting 
standard; 
‘‘(B) that the standards established pursuant to 
subparagraph (A) shall be applied by the State to any 
foster family home or child care institution receiving funds 
under this part or part B and shall require, as a condition 
of each contract entered into by a child care institution 
to provide foster care, the presence on-site of at least 1 
official who, with respect to any child placed at the child 
care institution, is designated to be the caregiver who 
is authorized to apply the reasonable and prudent parent 
standard to decisions involving the participation of the 
child in age or developmentally-appropriate activities, and 
who is provided with training in how to use and apply 
the reasonable and prudent parent standard in the same 
manner as prospective foster parents are provided the 
training pursuant to paragraph (24); 
‘‘(C) that the standards established pursuant to 
subparagraph (A) shall include policies related to the 
liability of foster parents and private entities under con-
tract by the State involving the application of the reason-
able and prudent parent standard, to ensure appropriate 
liability for caregivers when a child participates in an 
approved activity and the caregiver approving the activity 
acts in accordance with the reasonable and prudent parent 
standard; and 
‘‘(D) that a waiver of any standards established pursu-
ant to subparagraph (A) may be made only on a case- 
by-case basis for nonsafety standards (as determined by 
the State) in relative foster family homes for specific chil-
dren in care;’’. 
(c) SUPPORTING PARTICIPATION
IN AGE-APPROPRIATE ACTIVI-
TIES.— 
(1) Section 477(a) (42 U.S.C. 677(a)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph (6); 
(B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph 
(7) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(8) to ensure children who are likely to remain in foster 
care until 18 years of age have regular, ongoing opportunities 
to engage in age or developmentally-appropriate activities as 
defined in section 475(11).’’. 
(2) Section 477(h)(1) (42 U.S.C. 677(h)(1)) is amended by 
inserting ‘‘or, beginning in fiscal year 2020, $143,000,000’’ after 
‘‘$140,000,000’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by this section 
shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) DELAY PERMITTED IF STATE LEGISLATION REQUIRED.— 
If the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines 
that State legislation (other than legislation appropriating 
funds) is required in order for a State plan developed pursuant 
to part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to meet the 
additional requirements imposed by the amendments made by
H. R. 4980—8 
this section, the plan shall not be regarded as failing to meet 
any of the additional requirements before the 1st day of the 
1st calendar quarter beginning after the 1st regular session 
of the State legislature that begins after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. If the State has a 2-year legislative session, 
each year of the session is deemed to be a separate regular 
session of the State legislature. 
SEC. 112. IMPROVING ANOTHER PLANNED PERMANENT LIVING 
ARRANGEMENT AS A PERMANENCY OPTION. 
(a) ELIMINATION
OF ANOTHER PLANNED PERMANENT LIVING 
ARRANGEMENT FOR CHILDREN UNDER AGE 16.— 
(1) 
IN
GENERAL.—Section 
475(5)(C)(i) 
(42 
U.S.C. 
675(5)(C)(i)) is amended by inserting ‘‘only in the case of a 
child who has attained 16 years of age’’ before ‘‘(in cases where’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 422(b)(8)(A)(iii)(II) 
(42 U.S.C. 622(b)(8)(A)(iii)(II)) is amended by inserting ‘‘, subject 
to the requirements of sections 475(5)(C) and 475A(a)’’ after 
‘‘arrangement’’. 
(3) DELAYED APPLICABILITY WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN CHIL-
DREN.—In the case of children in foster care under the responsi-
bility of an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or tribal consortium 
(either directly or under supervision of a State), the amend-
ments made by this subsection shall not apply until the date 
that is 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(b) ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Part E of title IV (42 U.S.C. 670 et 
seq.) is amended by inserting after section 475 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 475A. ADDITIONAL CASE PLAN AND CASE REVIEW SYSTEM 
REQUIREMENTS. 
‘‘(a) REQUIREMENTS FOR ANOTHER PLANNED PERMANENT LIVING 
ARRANGEMENT.—In the case of any child for whom another planned 
permanent living arrangement is the permanency plan determined 
for the child under section 475(5)(C), the following requirements 
shall apply for purposes of approving the case plan for the child 
and the case system review procedure for the child: 
‘‘(1) DOCUMENTATION OF INTENSIVE, ONGOING, UNSUCCESS-
FUL EFFORTS FOR FAMILY PLACEMENT.—At each permanency 
hearing held with respect to the child, the State agency docu-
ments the intensive, ongoing, and, as of the date of the hearing, 
unsuccessful efforts made by the State agency to return the 
child home or secure a placement for the child with a fit 
and willing relative (including adult siblings), a legal guardian, 
or an adoptive parent, including through efforts that utilize 
search technology (including social media) to find biological 
family members for the children. 
‘‘(2) REDETERMINATION OF APPROPRIATENESS OF PLACEMENT 
AT EACH PERMANENCY HEARING.—The State agency shall imple-
ment procedures to ensure that, at each permanency hearing 
held with respect to the child, the court or administrative 
body appointed or approved by the court conducting the hearing 
on the permanency plan for the child does the following: 
‘‘(A) Ask the child about the desired permanency out-
come for the child. 
‘‘(B) Make a judicial determination explaining why, 
as of the date of the hearing, another planned permanent 
living arrangement is the best permanency plan for the
H. R. 4980—9 
child and provide compelling reasons why it continues to 
not be in the best interests of the child to— 
‘‘(i) return home; 
‘‘(ii) be placed for adoption; 
‘‘(iii) be placed with a legal guardian; or 
‘‘(iv) be placed with a fit and willing relative. 
‘‘(3) DEMONSTRATION OF SUPPORT FOR ENGAGING IN AGE 
OR
DEVELOPMENTALLY-APPROPRIATE
ACTIVITIES
AND
SOCIAL 
EVENTS.—At each permanency hearing held with respect to 
the child, the State agency shall document the steps the State 
agency is taking to ensure that— 
‘‘(A) the child’s foster family home or child care institu-
tion is following the reasonable and prudent parent 
standard; and 
‘‘(B) the child has regular, ongoing opportunities to 
engage in age or developmentally appropriate activities 
(including by consulting with the child in an age-appro-
priate manner about the opportunities of the child to 
participate in the activities).’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(A) STATE PLAN REQUIREMENTS.— 
(i) PART
B.—Section 422(b)(8)(A)(ii) (42 U.S.C. 
622(b)(8)(A)(ii)) is amended by inserting ‘‘and in accord-
ance with the requirements of section 475A’’ after ‘‘sec-
tion 475(5)’’. 
(ii) 
PART
E.—Section 
471(a)(16) 
(42 
U.S.C. 
671(a)(16)) is amended— 
(I) by inserting ‘‘and in accordance with the 
requirements of section 475A’’ after ‘‘section 
475(1)’’; and 
(II) 
by 
striking 
‘‘section 
475(5)(B)’’ 
and 
inserting ‘‘sections 475(5) and 475A’’. 
(B) DEFINITIONS.—Section 475 (42 U.S.C. 675) is 
amended— 
(i) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘meets the require-
ments of section 475A and’’ after ‘‘written document 
which’’; and 
(ii) in paragraph (5)— 
(I) in subparagraph (B), by adding at the end 
the following ‘‘and, for a child for whom another 
planned permanent living arrangement has been 
determined as the permanency plan, the steps the 
State agency is taking to ensure the child’s foster 
family home or child care institution is following 
the reasonable and prudent parent standard and 
to ascertain whether the child has regular, ongoing 
opportunities to engage in age or developmentally 
appropriate activities (including by consulting with 
the child in an age-appropriate manner about the 
opportunities of the child to participate in the 
activities);’’; and 
(II) in subparagraph (C)— 
(aa) by inserting ‘‘, as of the date of the 
hearing,’’ after ‘‘compelling reason for deter-
mining’’; and
H. R. 4980—10 
(bb) by inserting ‘‘subject to section 
475A(a),’’ after ‘‘another planned permanent 
living arrangement,’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by this section 
shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) DELAY PERMITTED IF STATE LEGISLATION REQUIRED.— 
If the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines 
that State legislation (other than legislation appropriating 
funds) is required in order for a State plan developed pursuant 
to part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to meet the 
additional requirements imposed by the amendments made by 
this section, the plan shall not be regarded as failing to meet 
any of the additional requirements before the 1st day of the 
1st calendar quarter beginning after the 1st regular session 
of the State legislature that begins after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. If the State has a 2-year legislative session, 
each year of the session is deemed to be a separate regular 
session of the State legislature. 
SEC. 113. EMPOWERING FOSTER CHILDREN AGE 14 AND OLDER IN 
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR OWN CASE PLAN AND 
TRANSITION PLANNING FOR A SUCCESSFUL ADULTHOOD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 475(1)(B) (42 U.S.C. 675(1)(B)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘With respect to 
a child who has attained 14 years of age, the plan developed 
for the child in accordance with this paragraph, and any revision 
or addition to the plan, shall be developed in consultation with 
the child and, at the option of the child, with up to 2 members 
of the case planning team who are chosen by the child and who 
are not a foster parent of, or caseworker for, the child. A State 
may reject an individual selected by a child to be a member of 
the case planning team at any time if the State has good cause 
to believe that the individual would not act in the best interests 
of the child. One individual selected by a child to be a member 
of the child’s case planning team may be designated to be the 
child’s advisor and, as necessary, advocate, with respect to the 
application of the reasonable and prudent parent standard to the 
child.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO INCLUDE CHILDREN 14 AND 
OLDER IN TRANSITION PLANNING.—Section 475 (42 U.S.C. 675) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)(D), by striking ‘‘Where appropriate, 
for a child age 16’’ and inserting ‘‘For a child who has attained 
14 years of age’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (5)— 
(A) in subparagraph (C)— 
(i) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘16’’ and inserting 
‘‘14’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of clause (ii); 
and 
(iii) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘and (iv) 
if a child has attained 14 years of age, the permanency 
plan developed for the child, and any revision or addi-
tion to the plan, shall be developed in consultation 
with the child and, at the option of the child, with
H. R. 4980—11 
not more than 2 members of the permanency planning 
team who are selected by the child and who are not 
a foster parent of, or caseworker for, the child, except 
that the State may reject an individual so selected 
by the child if the State has good cause to believe 
that the individual would not act in the best interests 
of the child, and 1 individual so selected by the child 
may be designated to be the child’s advisor and, as 
necessary, advocate, with respect to the application 
of the reasonable and prudent standard to the child;’’; 
and 
(B) in subparagraph (I), by striking ‘‘16’’ and inserting 
‘‘14’’. 
(c) TRANSITION PLANNING FOR A SUCCESSFUL ADULTHOOD.— 
Paragraphs (1)(D), (5)(C)(i), and (5)(C)(iii) of section 475 (42 U.S.C. 
675) are each amended by striking ‘‘independent living’’ and 
inserting ‘‘a successful adulthood’’. 
(d) LIST
OF
RIGHTS.—Section 475A, as added by section 
112(b)(1) of this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) LIST OF RIGHTS.—The case plan for any child in foster 
care under the responsibility of the State who has attained 14 
years of age shall include— 
‘‘(1) a document that describes the rights of the child with 
respect to education, health, visitation, and court participation, 
the right to be provided with the documents specified in section 
475(5)(I) in accordance with that section, and the right to 
stay safe and avoid exploitation; and 
‘‘(2) a signed acknowledgment by the child that the child 
has been provided with a copy of the document and that the 
rights contained in the document have been explained to the 
child in an age-appropriate way.’’. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
shall submit a report to Congress regarding the implementation 
of the amendments made by this section. The report shall include— 
(1) an analysis of how States are administering the require-
ments of paragraphs (1)(B) and (5)(C) of section 475 of the 
Social Security Act, as amended by subsections (a) and (b) 
of this section, that a child in foster care who has attained 
14 years of age be permitted to select up to 2 members of 
the case planning team or permanency planning team for the 
child from individuals who are not a foster parent of, or case-
worker for, the child; and 
(2) a description of best practices of States with respect 
to the administration of the requirements. 
(f) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by this section 
shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) DELAY PERMITTED IF STATE LEGISLATION REQUIRED.— 
If the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines 
that State legislation (other than legislation appropriating 
funds) is required in order for a State plan developed pursuant 
to part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to meet the 
additional requirements imposed by the amendments made by 
this section, the plan shall not be regarded as failing to meet 
any of the additional requirements before the 1st day of the
H. R. 4980—12 
1st calendar quarter beginning after the 1st regular session 
of the State legislature that begins after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. If the State has a 2-year legislative session, 
each year of the session is deemed to be a separate regular 
session of the State legislature. 
SEC. 114. ENSURING FOSTER CHILDREN HAVE A BIRTH CERTIFICATE, 
SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, HEALTH INSURANCE INFORMA-
TION, MEDICAL RECORDS, AND A DRIVER’S LICENSE OR 
EQUIVALENT STATE-ISSUED IDENTIFICATION CARD. 
(a) CASE REVIEW SYSTEM REQUIREMENT.—Section 475(5)(I) (42 
U.S.C. 675(5)(I)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and receives assistance’’ and inserting 
‘‘receives assistance’’; and 
(2) by inserting ‘‘, and, if the child is leaving foster care 
by reason of having attained 18 years of age or such greater 
age as the State has elected under paragraph (8), unless the 
child has been in foster care for less than 6 months, is not 
discharged from care without being provided with (if the child 
is eligible to receive such document) an official or certified 
copy of the United States birth certificate of the child, a social 
security card issued by the Commissioner of Social Security, 
health insurance information, a copy of the child’s medical 
records, and a driver’s license or identification card issued 
by a State in accordance with the requirements of section 
202 of the REAL ID Act of 2005’’ before the period. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by this section 
shall take effect 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
(2) DELAY PERMITTED IF STATE LEGISLATION REQUIRED.— 
If the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines 
that State legislation (other than legislation appropriating 
funds) is required in order for a State plan developed pursuant 
to part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to meet the 
additional requirements imposed by the amendments made by 
this section, the plan shall not be regarded as failing to meet 
any of the additional requirements before the 1st day of the 
1st calendar quarter beginning after the 1st regular session 
of the State legislature that begins after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. If the State has a 2-year legislative session, 
each year of the session is deemed to be a separate regular 
session of the State legislature. 
SEC. 115. INFORMATION ON CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE IN ANNUAL 
REPORTS USING AFCARS DATA; CONSULTATION. 
Section 479A (42 U.S.C. 679b) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’; 
(2) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; 
(3) in paragraph (6)(C), by striking the period at the end 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(7) include in the report submitted pursuant to paragraph 
(5) for fiscal year 2016 or any succeeding fiscal year, State- 
by-State data on—
H. R. 4980—13 
‘‘(A) children in foster care who have been placed in 
a child care institution or other setting that is not a foster 
family home, including— 
‘‘(i) the number of children in the placements and 
their ages, including separately, the number and ages 
of children who have a permanency plan of another 
planned permanent living arrangement; 
‘‘(ii) the duration of the placement in the settings 
(including for children who have a permanency plan 
of another planned permanent living arrangement); 
‘‘(iii) the types of child care institutions used 
(including group homes, residential treatment, shel-
ters, or other congregate care settings); 
‘‘(iv) with respect to each child care institution 
or other setting that is not a foster family home, the 
number of children in foster care residing in each 
such institution or non-foster family home; 
‘‘(v) any clinically diagnosed special need of such 
children; and 
‘‘(vi) the extent of any specialized education, treat-
ment, counseling, or other services provided in the 
settings; and 
‘‘(B) children in foster care who are pregnant or par-
enting. 
‘‘(b) CONSULTATION
ON OTHER ISSUES.—The Secretary shall 
consult with States and organizations with an interest in child 
welfare, including organizations that provide adoption and foster 
care services, and shall take into account requests from Members 
of Congress, in selecting other issues to be analyzed and reported 
on under this section using data available to the Secretary, 
including data reported by States through the Adoption and Foster 
Care Analysis and Reporting System and to the National Youth 
in Transition Database.’’. 
Subtitle C—National Advisory Committee 
SEC. 121. ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE 
ON THE SEX TRAFFICKING OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN 
THE UNITED STATES. 
Title XI (42 U.S.C. 1301 et seq.) is amended by inserting 
after section 1114 the following: 
‘‘NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE SEX TRAFFICKING OF 
CHIILDREN AND YOUTH IN THE UNITED STATES 
‘‘SEC. 1114A. (a) OFFICIAL DESIGNATION.—This section relates 
to the National Advisory Committee on the Sex Trafficking of 
Children and Youth in the United States (in this section referred 
to as the ‘Committee’). 
‘‘(b) AUTHORITY.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enact-
ment of this section, the Secretary shall establish and appoint 
all members of the Committee. 
‘‘(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
‘‘(1) COMPOSITION.—The Committee shall be composed of 
not more than 21 members whose diverse experience and back-
ground enable them to provide balanced points of view with 
regard to carrying out the duties of the Committee.
H. R. 4980—14 
‘‘(2) SELECTION.—The Secretary, in consultation with the 
Attorney General and National Governors Association, shall 
appoint the members to the Committee. At least 1 Committee 
member shall be a former sex trafficking victim. 2 Committee 
members shall be a Governor of a State, 1 of whom shall 
be a member of the Democratic Party and 1 of whom shall 
be a member of the Republican Party. 
‘‘(3) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT; VACANCIES.—Members shall 
be appointed for the life of the Committee. A vacancy in the 
Committee shall be filled in the manner in which the original 
appointment was made and shall not affect the powers or 
duties of the Committee. 
‘‘(4) COMPENSATION.—Committee members shall serve 
without compensation or per diem in lieu of subsistence. 
‘‘(d) DUTIES.— 
‘‘(1) NATIONAL RESPONSE.—The Committee shall advise the 
Secretary and the Attorney General on practical and general 
policies concerning improvements to the Nation’s response to 
the sex trafficking of children and youth in the United States. 
‘‘(2) POLICIES
FOR
COOPERATION.—The Committee shall 
advise the Secretary and the Attorney General on practical 
and general policies concerning the cooperation of Federal, 
State, local, and tribal governments, child welfare agencies, 
social service providers, physical health and mental health 
providers, victim service providers, State or local courts with 
responsibility for conducting or supervising proceedings relating 
to child welfare or social services for children and their families, 
Federal, State, and local police, juvenile detention centers, and 
runaway and homeless youth programs, schools, the gaming 
and entertainment industry, and businesses and organizations 
that provide services to youth, on responding to sex trafficking, 
including the development and implementation of— 
‘‘(A) successful interventions with children and youth 
who are exposed to conditions that make them vulnerable 
to, or victims of, sex trafficking; and 
‘‘(B) recommendations for administrative or legislative 
changes necessary to use programs, properties, or other 
resources owned, operated, or funded by the Federal 
Government to provide safe housing for children and youth 
who are sex trafficking victims and provide support to 
entities that provide housing or other assistance to the 
victims. 
‘‘(3) BEST PRACTICES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STATES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Within 2 years after the establish-
ment of the Committee, the Committee shall develop 2 
tiers (referred to in this subparagraph as ‘Tier I’ and ‘Tier 
II’) of recommended best practices for States to follow in 
combating the sex trafficking of children and youth. Tier 
I shall provide States that have not yet substantively 
addressed the sex trafficking of children and youth with 
an idea of where to begin and what steps to take. Tier 
II shall provide States that are already working to address 
the sex trafficking of children and youth with examples 
of policies that are already being used effectively by other 
States to address sex trafficking. 
‘‘(B) DEVELOPMENT.—The best practices shall be based 
on multidisciplinary research and promising, evidence-
H. R. 4980—15 
based models and programs as reflected in State efforts 
to meet the requirements of sections 101 and 102 of the 
Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families 
Act. 
‘‘(C) CONTENT.—The best practices shall be user- 
friendly, incorporate the most up-to-date technology, and 
include the following: 
‘‘(i) Sample training materials, protocols, and 
screening tools that, to the extent possible, accommo-
date for regional differences among the States, to pre-
pare individuals who administer social services to iden-
tify and serve children and youth who are sex traf-
ficking victims or at-risk of sex trafficking. 
‘‘(ii) Multidisciplinary strategies to identify victims, 
manage cases, and improve services for all children 
and youth who are at risk of sex trafficking, or are 
sex trafficking victims, in the United States. 
‘‘(iii) Sample protocols and recommendations based 
on current States’ efforts, accounting for regional dif-
ferences between States that provide for effective, 
cross-system collaboration between Federal, State, 
local, and tribal governments, child welfare agencies, 
social service providers, physical health and mental 
health providers, victim service providers, State or local 
courts with responsibility for conducting or supervising 
proceedings relating to child welfare or social services 
for children and their families, the gaming and enter-
tainment industry, Federal, State, and local police, 
juvenile detention centers and runaway and homeless 
youth programs, housing resources that are appro-
priate for housing child and youth victims of traf-
ficking, schools, and businesses and organizations that 
provide services to children and youth. These protocols 
and recommendations should include strategies to iden-
tify victims and collect, document, and share data 
across systems and agencies, and should be designed 
to help agencies better understand the type of sex 
trafficking involved, the scope of the problem, the needs 
of the population to be served, ways to address the 
demand for trafficked children and youth and increase 
prosecutions of traffickers and purchasers of children 
and youth, and the degree of victim interaction with 
multiple systems. 
‘‘(iv) Developing the criteria and guidelines nec-
essary for establishing safe residential placements for 
foster children who have been sex trafficked as well 
as victims of trafficking identified through interaction 
with law enforcement. 
‘‘(v) Developing training guidelines for caregivers 
that serve children and youth being cared for outside 
the home. 
‘‘(D) INFORMING STATES OF BEST PRACTICES.—The Com-
mittee, in coordination with the National Governors 
Association, Secretary and Attorney General, shall ensure 
that State Governors and child welfare agencies are notified 
and informed on a quarterly basis of the best practices 
and recommendations for States, and notified 6 months
H. R. 4980—16 
in advance that the Committee will be evaluating the 
extent to which States adopt the Committee’s recommenda-
tions. 
‘‘(E) REPORT
ON
STATE
IMPLEMENTATION.—Within 3 
years after the establishment of the Committee, the Com-
mittee shall submit to the Secretary and the Attorney 
General, as part of its final report as well as for online 
and publicly available publication, a description of what 
each State has done to implement the recommendations 
of the Committee. 
‘‘(e) REPORTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Committee shall submit an interim 
and a final report on the work of the Committee to— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary; 
‘‘(B) the Attorney General; 
‘‘(C) the Committee on Finance of the Senate; and 
‘‘(D) the Committee on Ways and Means of the House 
of Representatives. 
‘‘(2) REPORTING DATES.—The interim report shall be sub-
mitted not later than 3 years after the establishment of the 
Committee. The final report shall be submitted not later than 
4 years after the establishment of the Committee. 
‘‘(f) ADMINISTRATION.— 
‘‘(1) AGENCY SUPPORT.—The Secretary shall direct the head 
of the Administration for Children and Families of the Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services to provide all necessary 
support for the Committee. 
‘‘(2) MEETINGS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Committee will meet at the 
call of the Secretary at least twice each year to carry 
out this section, and more often as otherwise required. 
‘‘(B) 
ACCOMMODATION
FOR
COMMITTEE
MEMBERS 
UNABLE TO ATTEND IN PERSON.—The Secretary shall create 
a process through which Committee members who are 
unable to travel to a Committee meeting in person may 
participate remotely through the use of video conference, 
teleconference, online, or other means. 
‘‘(3) SUBCOMMITTEES.—The Committee may establish sub-
committees or working groups, as necessary and consistent 
with the mission of the Committee. The subcommittees or 
working groups shall have no authority to make decisions on 
behalf of the Committee, nor shall they report directly to any 
official or entity listed in subsection (d). 
‘‘(4) RECORDKEEPING.—The records of the Committee and 
any subcommittees and working groups shall be maintained 
in accordance with appropriate Department of Health and 
Human Services policies and procedures and shall be available 
for public inspection and copying, subject to the Freedom of 
Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). 
‘‘(g) TERMINATION.—The Committee shall terminate 5 years 
after the date of its establishment, but the Secretary shall continue 
to operate and update, as necessary, an Internet website displaying 
the State best practices, recommendations, and evaluation of State- 
by-State implementation of the Secretary’s recommendations. 
‘‘(h) DEFINITION.—For the purpose of this section, the term 
‘sex trafficking’ includes the definition set forth in section 103(10) 
of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C.
H. R. 4980—17 
7102(10)) and ‘severe form of trafficking in persons’ described in 
section 103(9)(A) of such Act.’’. 
TITLE II—IMPROVING ADOPTION IN-
CENTIVES AND EXTENDING FAMILY 
CONNECTION GRANTS 
Subtitle A—Improving Adoption Incentive 
Payments 
SEC. 201. EXTENSION OF PROGRAM THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2016. 
Section 473A (42 U.S.C. 673b) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(5), by striking ‘‘2008 through 2012’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2013 through 2015’’; and 
(2) in each of paragraphs (1)(D) and (2) of subsection (h), 
by striking ‘‘2013’’ and inserting ‘‘2016’’. 
SEC. 202. IMPROVEMENTS TO AWARD STRUCTURE. 
(a) ELIGIBILITY
FOR
AWARD.—Section 473A(b) (42 U.S.C. 
673b(b)) is amended by striking paragraph (2) and redesignating 
paragraphs (3) through (5) as paragraphs (2) through (4), respec-
tively. 
(b) DATA
REQUIREMENTS.—Section 473A(c)(2) (42 U.S.C. 
673b(c)(2)) is amended— 
(1) in the paragraph heading, by striking ‘‘NUMBERS OF 
ADOPTIONS’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘RATES
OF
ADOPTIONS
AND 
GUARDIANSHIPS’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘the numbers’’ and all that follows through 
‘‘section,’’ and inserting ‘‘each of the rates required to be deter-
mined under this section with respect to a State and a fiscal 
year,’’; and 
(3) by inserting before the period the following: ‘‘, and, 
with respect to the determination of the rates related to foster 
child guardianships, on the basis of information reported to 
the Secretary under paragraph (12) of subsection (g)’’. 
(c) AWARD AMOUNT.—Section 473A(d) (42 U.S.C. 673b(d)) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking subparagraphs (A) through 
(C) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) $5,000, multiplied by the amount (if any) by 
which— 
‘‘(i) the number of foster child adoptions in the 
State during the fiscal year; exceeds 
‘‘(ii) the product (rounded to the nearest whole 
number) of— 
‘‘(I) the base rate of foster child adoptions for 
the State for the fiscal year; and 
‘‘(II) the number of children in foster care 
under the supervision of the State on the last 
day of the preceding fiscal year; 
‘‘(B) $7,500, multiplied by the amount (if any) by 
which—
H. R. 4980—18 
‘‘(i) the number of pre-adolescent child adoptions 
and pre-adolescent foster child guardianships in the 
State during the fiscal year; exceeds 
‘‘(ii) the product (rounded to the nearest whole 
number) of— 
‘‘(I) the base rate of pre-adolescent child adop-
tions and pre-adolescent foster child guardianships 
for the State for the fiscal year; and 
‘‘(II) the number of children in foster care 
under the supervision of the State on the last 
day of the preceding fiscal year who have attained 
9 years of age but not 14 years of age; and 
‘‘(C) $10,000, multiplied by the amount (if any) by 
which— 
‘‘(i) the number of older child adoptions and older 
foster child guardianships in the State during the fiscal 
year; exceeds 
‘‘(ii) the product (rounded to the nearest whole 
number) of— 
‘‘(I) the base rate of older child adoptions and 
older foster child guardianships for the State for 
the fiscal year; and 
‘‘(II) the number of children in foster care 
under the supervision of the State on the last 
day of the preceding fiscal year who have attained 
14 years of age; and 
‘‘(D) $4,000, multiplied by the amount (if any) by 
which— 
‘‘(i) the number of foster child guardianships in 
the State during the fiscal year; exceeds 
‘‘(ii) the product (rounded to the nearest whole 
number) of— 
‘‘(I) the base rate of foster child guardianships 
for the State for the fiscal year; and 
‘‘(II) the number of children in foster care 
under the supervision of the State on the last 
day of the preceding fiscal year.’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(3) INCREASED ADOPTION AND LEGAL GUARDIANSHIP INCEN-
TIVE PAYMENT FOR TIMELY ADOPTIONS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—If for any of fiscal years 2013 
through 2015, the total amount of adoption and legal 
guardianship incentive payments payable under paragraph 
(1) of this subsection are less than the amount appropriated 
under subsection (h) for the fiscal year, then, from the 
remainder of the amount appropriated for the fiscal year 
that is not required for such payments (in this paragraph 
referred to as the ‘timely adoption award pool’), the Sec-
retary shall increase the adoption incentive payment deter-
mined under paragraph (1) for each State that the Sec-
retary determines is a timely adoption award State for 
the fiscal year by the award amount determined for the 
fiscal year under subparagraph (C). 
‘‘(B) TIMELY ADOPTION AWARD STATE DEFINED.—A State 
is a timely adoption award State for a fiscal year if the 
Secretary determines that, for children who were in foster 
care under the supervision of the State at the time of
H. R. 4980—19 
adoptive placement, the average number of months from 
removal of children from their home to the placement of 
children in finalized adoptions is less than 24 months. 
‘‘(C) AWARD AMOUNT.—For purposes of subparagraph 
(A), the award amount determined under this subpara-
graph with respect to a fiscal year is the amount equal 
to the timely adoption award pool for the fiscal year divided 
by the number of timely adoption award States for the 
fiscal year.’’. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—Section 473A(g) (42 U.S.C. 673b(g)) is 
amended by striking paragraphs (1) through (8) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(1) FOSTER CHILD ADOPTION RATE.—The term ‘foster child 
adoption rate’ means, with respect to a State and a fiscal 
year, the percentage determined by dividing— 
‘‘(A) the number of foster child adoptions finalized in 
the State during the fiscal year; by 
‘‘(B) the number of children in foster care under the 
supervision of the State on the last day of the preceding 
fiscal year. 
‘‘(2) BASE RATE OF FOSTER CHILD ADOPTIONS.—The term 
‘base rate of foster child adoptions’ means, with respect to 
a State and a fiscal year, the lesser of— 
‘‘(A) the foster child adoption rate for the State for 
the then immediately preceding fiscal year; or 
‘‘(B) the foster child adoption rate for the State for 
the average of the then immediately preceding 3 fiscal 
years. 
‘‘(3) FOSTER CHILD ADOPTION.—The term ‘foster child adop-
tion’ means the final adoption of a child who, at the time 
of adoptive placement, was in foster care under the supervision 
of the State. 
‘‘(4) PRE-ADOLESCENT
CHILD
ADOPTION
AND
PRE-ADOLES-
CENT FOSTER CHILD GUARDIANSHIP RATE.—The term ‘pre-adoles-
cent child adoption and pre-adolescent foster child guardianship 
rate’ means, with respect to a State and a fiscal year, the 
percentage determined by dividing— 
‘‘(A) the number of pre-adolescent child adoptions and 
pre-adolescent foster child guardianships finalized in the 
State during the fiscal year; by 
‘‘(B) the number of children in foster care under the 
supervision of the State on the last day of the preceding 
fiscal year, who have attained 9 years of age but not 
14 years of age. 
‘‘(5) BASE RATE OF PRE-ADOLESCENT CHILD ADOPTIONS AND 
PRE-ADOLESCENT
FOSTER
CHILD
GUARDIANSHIPS.—The term 
‘base rate of pre-adolescent child adoptions and pre-adolescent 
foster child guardianships’ means, with respect to a State and 
a fiscal year, the lesser of— 
‘‘(A) the pre-adolescent child adoption and pre-adoles-
cent foster child guardianship rate for the State for the 
then immediately preceding fiscal year; or 
‘‘(B) the pre-adolescent child adoption and pre-adoles-
cent foster child guardianship rate for the State for the 
average of the then immediately preceding 3 fiscal years. 
‘‘(6) PRE-ADOLESCENT
CHILD
ADOPTION
AND
PRE-ADOLES-
CENT FOSTER CHILD GUARDIANSHIP.—The term ‘pre-adolescent
H. R. 4980—21 
child from foster care under the responsibility of the State 
to live with a legal guardian, if the State has reported to 
the Secretary— 
‘‘(A) that the State agency has determined that— 
‘‘(i) the child has been removed from his or her 
home pursuant to a voluntary placement agreement 
or as a result of a judicial determination to the effect 
that continuation in the home would be contrary to 
the welfare of the child; 
‘‘(ii) being returned home or adopted are not appro-
priate permanency options for the child; 
‘‘(iii) the child demonstrates a strong attachment 
to the prospective legal guardian, and the prospective 
legal guardian has a strong commitment to caring 
permanently for the child; and 
‘‘(iv) if the child has attained 14 years of age, 
the child has been consulted regarding the legal 
guardianship arrangement; or 
‘‘(B) the alternative procedures used by the State to 
determine that legal guardianship is the appropriate option 
for the child.’’. 
SEC. 203. RENAMING OF PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The section heading of section 473A (42 
U.S.C. 673b) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 473A. ADOPTION AND LEGAL GUARDIANSHIP INCENTIVE PAY-
MENTS.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 473A is amended in each of subsections (a), 
(d)(1), (d)(2)(A), and (d)(2)(B) (42 U.S.C. 673b(a), (d)(1), (d)(2)(A), 
and (d)(2)(B)) by inserting ‘‘and legal guardianship’’ after ‘‘adop-
tion’’ each place it appears. 
(2) The heading of section 473A(d) (42 U.S.C. 673b(d)) 
is amended by inserting ‘‘AND LEGAL GUARDIANSHIP’’ after 
‘‘ADOPTION’’. 
SEC. 204. LIMITATION ON USE OF INCENTIVE PAYMENTS. 
Section 473A(f) (42 U.S.C. 673b(f)) is amended in the 1st sen-
tence by inserting ‘‘, and shall use the amount to supplement, 
and not supplant, any Federal or non-Federal funds used to provide 
any service under part B or E’’ before the period. 
SEC. 205. INCREASE IN PERIOD FOR WHICH INCENTIVE PAYMENTS 
ARE AVAILABLE FOR EXPENDITURE. 
Section 473A(e) (42 U.S.C. 673b(e)) is amended— 
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ‘‘24-MONTH’’ and 
inserting ‘‘36-MONTH’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘24-month’’ and inserting ‘‘36-month’’. 
SEC. 206. STATE REPORT ON CALCULATION AND USE OF SAVINGS 
RESULTING 
FROM 
THE 
PHASE-OUT 
OF 
ELIGIBILITY 
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTION ASSISTANCE; REQUIRE-
MENT TO SPEND 30 PERCENT OF SAVINGS ON CERTAIN 
SERVICES. 
Section 473(a)(8) (42 U.S.C. 673(a)(8)) is amended to read as 
follows:
H. R. 4980—22 
‘‘(8)(A) A State shall calculate the savings (if any) resulting 
from the application of paragraph (2)(A)(ii) to all applicable children 
for a fiscal year, using a methodology specified by the Secretary 
or an alternate methodology proposed by the State and approved 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) A State shall annually report to the Secretary— 
‘‘(i) the methodology used to make the calculation described 
in subparagraph (A), without regard to whether any savings 
are found; 
‘‘(ii) the amount of any savings referred to in subparagraph 
(A); and 
‘‘(iii) how any such savings are spent, accounting for and 
reporting the spending separately from any other spending 
reported to the Secretary under part B or this part. 
‘‘(C) The Secretary shall make all information reported pursu-
ant to subparagraph (B) available on the website of the Department 
of Health and Human Services in a location easily accessible to 
the public. 
‘‘(D)(i) A State shall spend an amount equal to the amount 
of the savings (if any) in State expenditures under this part 
resulting from the application of paragraph (2)(A)(ii) to all 
applicable children for a fiscal year, to provide to children of families 
any service that may be provided under part B or this part. A 
State shall spend not less than 30 percent of any such savings 
on post-adoption services, post-guardianship services, and services 
to support and sustain positive permanent outcomes for children 
who otherwise might enter into foster care under the responsibility 
of the State, with at least 2⁄3 of the spending by the State to 
comply with such 30 percent requirement being spent on post- 
adoption and post-guardianship services. 
‘‘(ii) Any State spending required under clause (i) shall be 
used to supplement, and not supplant, any Federal or non-Federal 
funds used to provide any service under part B or this part.’’. 
SEC. 207. PRESERVATION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR KINSHIP GUARDIAN-
SHIP 
ASSISTANCE 
PAYMENTS 
WITH 
A 
SUCCESSOR 
GUARDIAN. 
Section 473(d)(3) (42 U.S.C. 673(d)(3)) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) ELIGIBILITY NOT AFFECTED BY REPLACEMENT OF 
GUARDIAN WITH A SUCCESSOR GUARDIAN.—In the event of 
the death or incapacity of the relative guardian, the eligi-
bility of a child for a kinship guardianship assistance pay-
ment under this subsection shall not be affected by reason 
of the replacement of the relative guardian with a successor 
legal guardian named in the kinship guardianship assist-
ance agreement referred to in paragraph (1) (including 
in any amendment to the agreement), notwithstanding 
subparagraph 
(A) 
of 
this 
paragraph 
and 
section 
471(a)(28).’’. 
SEC. 208. DATA COLLECTION ON ADOPTION AND LEGAL GUARDIAN-
SHIP DISRUPTION AND DISSOLUTION. 
Section 479 (42 U.S.C. 679) is amended by adding at the end 
the following:
H. R. 4980—23 
‘‘(d) To promote improved knowledge on how best to ensure 
strong, permanent families for children, the Secretary shall promul-
gate regulations providing for the collection and analysis of informa-
tion regarding children who enter into foster care under the super-
vision of a State after prior finalization of an adoption or legal 
guardianship. The regulations shall require each State with a State 
plan approved under this part to collect and report as part of 
such data collection system the number of children who enter 
foster care under supervision of the State after finalization of an 
adoption or legal guardianship and may include information con-
cerning the length of the prior adoption or guardianship, the age 
of the child at the time of the prior adoption or guardianship, 
the age at which the child subsequently entered foster care under 
supervision of the State, the type of agency involved in making 
the prior adoptive or guardianship placement, and any other factors 
determined necessary to better understand factors associated with 
the child’s post-adoption or post-guardianship entry to foster care.’’. 
SEC. 209. ENCOURAGING THE PLACEMENT OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER 
CARE WITH SIBLINGS. 
(a) STATE PLAN AMENDMENT.— 
(1) NOTIFICATION
OF
PARENTS
OF
SIBLINGS.—Section 
471(a)(29) (42 U.S.C. 671(a)(29)) is amended by striking ‘‘all 
adult grandparents’’ and inserting ‘‘the following relatives: all 
adult grandparents, all parents of a sibling of the child, where 
such parent has legal custody of such sibling,’’. 
(2) SIBLING
DEFINED.—Section 475 (42 U.S.C. 675), as 
amended by sections 101(b) and 111(a)(1) of this Act, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(12) The term ‘sibling’ means an individual who satisfies 
at least one of the following conditions with respect to a child: 
‘‘(A) The individual is considered by State law to be 
a sibling of the child. 
‘‘(B) The individual would have been considered a sib-
ling of the child under State law but for a termination 
or other disruption of parental rights, such as the death 
of a parent.’’. 
(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall be 
construed as subordinating the rights of foster or adoptive parents 
of a child to the rights of the parents of a sibling of that child. 
SEC. 210. EFFECTIVE DATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise provided in this section, 
the amendments made by this subtitle shall take effect as if enacted 
on October 1, 2013. 
(b) RESTRUCTURING AND RENAMING OF PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by sections 202 
and 203 shall take effect on October 1, 2014, subject to para-
graph (2). 
(2) TRANSITION RULE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision 
of law, the total amount payable to a State under section 
473A of the Social Security Act for fiscal year 2014 shall 
be an amount equal to 1⁄2 of the sum of— 
(i) the total amount that would be payable to the 
State under such section for fiscal year 2014 if the 
amendments made by section 202 of this Act had not 
taken effect; and
H. R. 4980—24 
(ii) the total amount that would be payable to 
the State under such section for fiscal year 2014 in 
the absence of this paragraph. 
(B) PRO
RATA
ADJUSTMENT
IF
INSUFFICIENT
FUNDS 
AVAILABLE.—If the total amount otherwise payable under 
subparagraph (A) for fiscal year 2014 exceeds the amount 
appropriated pursuant to section 473A(h) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 673b(h)) for that fiscal year, the 
amount payable to each State under subparagraph (A) 
for fiscal year 2014 shall be— 
(i) the amount that would otherwise be payable 
to the State under subparagraph (A) for fiscal year 
2014; multiplied by 
(ii) the percentage represented by the amount so 
appropriated for fiscal year 2014, divided by the total 
amount otherwise payable under subparagraph (A) to 
all States for that fiscal year. 
(c) USE
OF INCENTIVE PAYMENTS; ELIGIBILITY
FOR KINSHIP 
GUARDIANSHIP
ASSISTANCE
PAYMENTS
WITH
A
SUCCESSOR 
GUARDIAN; DATA COLLECTION.—The amendments made by sections 
204, 207, and 208 shall take effect on the date of enactment of 
this Act. 
(d) CALCULATION AND USE OF SAVINGS RESULTING FROM THE 
PHASE-OUT OF ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTION ASSIST-
ANCE.—The amendment made by section 206 shall take effect on 
October 1, 2014. 
(e) NOTIFICATION OF PARENTS OF SIBLINGS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by section 209 
shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act, subject 
to paragraph (2). 
(2) DELAY PERMITTED IF STATE LEGISLATION REQUIRED.— 
In the case of a State plan approved under part E of title 
IV of the Social Security Act which the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services determines requires State legislation 
(other than legislation appropriating funds) in order for the 
plan to meet the additional requirements imposed by section 
209, the State plan shall not be regarded as failing to comply 
with the requirements of such part solely on the basis of the 
failure of the plan to meet such additional requirements before 
the 1st day of the 1st calendar quarter beginning after the 
close of the 1st regular session of the State legislature that 
ends after the 1-year period beginning with the date of enact-
ment of this Act. For purposes of the preceding sentence, in 
the case of a State that has a 2-year legislative session, each 
year of the session is deemed to be a separate regular session 
of the State legislature. 
Subtitle B—Extending the Family 
Connection Grant Program 
SEC. 221. EXTENSION OF FAMILY CONNECTION GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 427(h) (42 U.S.C. 627(h)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘2013’’ and inserting ‘‘2014’’. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY OF UNIVERSITIES FOR MATCHING GRANTS.—Sec-
tion 427(a) (42 U.S.C. 627(a)) is amended, in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1)—