Safe and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-4504
Sponsor: Rep. DeLay, Tom [R-TX-22]
Introduced: 2004-06-03 in the House
Policy area: Families
Subjects: Adoption
Caregivers
Child abuse
Child welfare
Civil actions and liability
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Court records
Crime and Law Enforcement
Criminal justice information
Data banks
Education
Electronic government information
Elementary and secondary education
Family services
Fingerprints
Foster home care
Government Operations and Politics
Government contractors
Government paperwork
Government service contracts
Governmental investigations
Grants-in-aid
Health
Identification of criminals
Interstate compacts
Interstate relations
Law
Medical records
Parents
Parties to actions
Planning
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
State laws
Student records

Summary:
action_date: 2004-06-03
text: 
Orderly and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act of 2004 - Amends the Social Security Act to require each State to: (1) have in effect procedures for orderly and timely placement of children, in foster care or for adoption, across State lines; and (2) complete home studies for such purpose within 60 days of another State's request.
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make incentive grants to States that complete timely interstate home studies.
 
Revises requirements for checking of child abuse registries to eliminate an opt-out provision.
 
Allows access to the Federal parent locator service to courts in foster care or adoptive placement cases.
 
Provides for consideration of out-of-state placements in permanency hearings, case plans, and case reviews. Revises provisions relating to caseworker visits, health and education records, notice of proceedings, and use of interjurisdictional resources. 
 
Directs the Comptroller General to study State performance of background checks for child placements. 
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that States should: (1) revise the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children; and (2) use private agencies to conduct home studies and give full faith and credit to other States' home study reports.

action_date: 2004-10-05
text: 
Safe and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act of 2004 - (Sec. 2) Expresses the sense of Congress that States should revise the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children. 
 
(Sec. 3) Amends the Social Security Act to require each State to: (1) have in effect procedures for orderly and timely placement of children, in foster care or for adoption, across State lines; and (2) complete home studies for such purpose within 60 days of another State's request.
 
(Sec. 4) Requires each State to complete home studies for such child placement purposes within 60 days of another State's request.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that States should use private agencies to conduct home studies and give full faith and credit to other States' home study reports.
 
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make incentive grants to States that complete timely interstate home studies.
 
(Sec. 5) Revises requirements for completing background checks before placement approval and for checking of child abuse registries. Suspends and subsequently eliminates an opt-out provision.
 
(Sec. 6) Allows access to the Federal parent locator service to courts in foster care or adoptive placement cases.
 
(Sec. 7) Revises requirements relating to caseworker visits.
 
(Sec. 8) Revises requirements relating to health and education records.
 
(Sec. 9) Revises requirements relating to notice of proceedings.
 
(Sec. 11) Provides for consideration of out-of-state placements in permanency hearings, case plans, and case reviews.
 
(Sec. 14) Requires State plans for child welfare services to contain assurances that the State shall make use of cross-jurisdictional resources to facilitate timely adoptive or permanent placements for waiting children. Requires assurances that the State shall eliminate legal barriers to such use of interjurisdictional resources. Includes contracts for the purchase of services among the ways States are to use such resources.
 
(Sec. 15) Directs the Comptroller General to study State performance of background checks for child placements. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-10-06
text: Received in the Senate.
action_date: 2004-10-05
text: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2004-10-05
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2004-10-05
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H8094-8096)
action_date: 2004-10-05
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H8094-8096)
action_date: 2004-10-05
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4504.
action_date: 2004-10-05
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8094-8100)
action_date: 2004-10-05
text: Mr. Herger moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2004-06-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.
action_date: 2004-06-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
action_date: 2004-06-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-06-03
text: Introduced in House