Strengthening Courts for Kids and Families Act
Bill: H.R.8924 | Sponsor: Rep. Murphy, Stephanie N. (D-FL)
Policy area: Families

Summary:
Strengthening Courts for Kids and Families Act
This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and revises the Court Improvement Program, including providing for state courts to implement training for judges, attorneys, and other legal personnel to improve parent, family, and youth engagement in child welfare proceedings.

To reauthorize the Court Improvement Program for 5 years, and for other 
                               purposes.

    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 ``Strengthening Courts for Kids and 
Families Act''.

SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF SUPPORT FOR LEGAL SERVICES THAT SUPPORT THE 
              STABILITY AND PERMANENCY OF FAMILY REUNIFICATION.

    Section 431(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 629a(a)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (E);
                    (B) by striking the period at the end of 
                subparagraph (F) and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(G) civil legal services designed to stabilize 
                and support families and to enable children to safely 
                remain with, or be reunited with, their families.''; 
                and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(10) Civil legal services.--The term `civil legal 
        services' includes--
                    ``(A) legal representation and related legal 
                services that address barriers to family preservation 
                or reunification or otherwise work to improve the 
                strength and stability of families, such as legal 
                services addressing issues related to domestic 
                violence, housing, identity theft, wage theft or other 
                employment concerns, unfair debt collection, disability 
                rights, and child support; and
                    ``(B) legal representation in proceedings mandated 
                under part E but only to the extent that the legal 
                representation is not supported under part E.''.

SEC. 3. INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR COURT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

    Section 436 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 629f) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``$345,000,000 for each 
        of fiscal years 2017 through 2022'' and inserting 
        ``$375,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027''; 
        and
            (2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ``$30,000,000'' and 
        inserting ``$60,000,000''.

SEC. 4. ASSESSMENT OF, AND IMPROVEMENT IN, HANDLING OF PROCEEDINGS 
              RELATING TO FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION.

    Section 438 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 629h) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1), by adding at the end the 
        following:
                    ``(F) that determine the appropriateness, and best 
                practices for use, of technology to allow conduct of 
                remote hearings, including to ensure maximum 
                participation of individuals involved in proceedings 
                and to enable courts to maintain operations in times of 
                public health or other emergencies;'';
            (2) in subsection (a)(2)(C), by striking ``by training 
        judges, attorneys, and other legal personnel'' and inserting 
        ``through support for civil legal services and high-quality 
        legal representation for children and their parents, and 
        agencies'';
            (3) in subsection (a)(2)--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (B);
                    (B) by striking the period at the end of 
                subparagraph (C) and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) to provide for training of judges, attorneys, 
                and other legal personnel to improve parent, family, 
                and youth engagement in child welfare proceedings, to 
                support optimal use of remote hearing technology, to 
                support implementation of the Family First Prevention 
                Services Act to reduce unnecessary use of congregate 
                care for children in foster care and to reduce 
                unnecessary entry of children into foster care, and for 
                other purposes that improve the conduct of child 
                welfare proceedings.'';
            (4) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by striking ``(C)'' and inserting ``(3)''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) a description of how the court will work with State 
        and local child welfare agencies to improve the availability of 
        civil legal services, and support for high quality legal 
        representation for children and parents, including whenever 
        possible with support provided under part E.''; and
            (5) in subsection (c)(3), by striking ``$1,000,000'' and 
        inserting ``$2,000,000''.

SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act shall take effect on October 1, 
2022.
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