GRACIE Act of 2025

Bill: 119-s-659
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
Introduced: 2025-02-20
Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
Subjects: Child safety and welfare

Digital media

Family services

Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Sound recording

State and local government operations
Latest action: action_date: 2025-02-20
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Summaries:

tv_txt: II 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 659 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 20, 2025 Mrs. Blackburn introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To establish a grant program within the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to award grants to States that require the recording of all child welfare interviews with children and adults, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Generate Recordings of All Child protective Interviews Everywhere Act or the GRACIE Act of 2025 . 2. Child protective service interview recording grants (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Child welfare interview The term child welfare interview means a documented interview with all relevant parties, including a child and an adult, conducted by a child protective services agency of a State in order to elicit information regarding concerns of abuse, neglect, or exposure to violence. (2) Director The term Director means the Director of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the Department of Justice. (3) Eligible entity The term eligible entity means a child protective services agency of a State that has in effect a statute, ordinance, policy, or practice that requires— (A) any child welfare interview conducted by a child protective services agency of the State to be recorded through— (i) electronic audio recording; (ii) body camera video; or (iii) any other reasonable means of recording; and (B) the retention and storage of a recording described in subparagraph (A)— (i) for not less than 5 years; and (ii) in a manner consistent with the protocols established by the State for such recordings, which shall include that— (I) a copy of such a recording— (aa) subject to item (bb), may only be released to those investigating an allegation; and (bb) upon a request by a caregiver or guardian in connection with a judicial proceeding, shall be made available to the caregiver or guardian, unless the court orders otherwise; (II) a penalty is imposed for a violation of a limitation described in subclause (I); and (III) the retention systems of the child protective services agency securely manage the storage and distribution of such a recording with access controls and role-based permission management. (4) State The term State means— (A) each of the several States; (B) the District of Columbia; (C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and (D) any territory or possession of the United States. (b) Grants The Director may award a grant to an eligible entity for the purpose of recording and storing all child welfare interviews conducted by the eligible entity. (c) Application An eligible entity seeking a grant under this section shall submit to the Director an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may require. (d) Use of funds Amounts received under a grant under this section shall be used exclusively for costs directly associated with conducting and retaining for 5 years the recording of all child welfare interviews by a child protective services agency of a State, including initial interviews conducted during a family assessment. (e) Funding The Director shall carry out this section using amounts otherwise available to the Director.