Sponsors (2)
The bill aims to improve safety and stability for adoptive and post‑adoption children and give families and policymakers better information and support, while imposing modest federal costs and risking state-level regulatory responses that could complicate informal or temporary caregiving.
Children in adoptive or post‑adoption placements will receive clearer federal guidance and resources to prevent unsafe informal custody transfers, improving their safety and chances of permanency.
Prospective and adoptive families will have better access to pre‑ and post‑adoption support information and education, which can reduce placement disruptions and promote more stable homes.
Congress, HHS, and state policymakers will get a mandated report and data on the prevalence, causes, and remedies within two years, enabling evidence‑based federal and state policy changes on informal custody and adoption stability.
Taxpayers will bear modest additional federal administrative costs for HHS studies, reporting, and maintaining educational resources related to the bill.
State governments may face pressure to create new regulatory requirements and paperwork in response to federal guidance, which could increase administrative burden and slow some informal caregiving arrangements.
Relatives or family friends providing temporary or informal care could encounter additional screening or procedural barriers if states tighten oversight, complicating short‑term caregiving and potentially delaying placements.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs HHS to expand outreach, update federal resources, and report to Congress on unregulated custody transfers of adopted children, and adds a statutory definition and findings.
Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to expand education, outreach, and online resources about unregulated custody transfers of adopted children, and to report to Congress within two years on causes, prevalence, effects, and recommended legal and practice changes. It adds a congressional finding that unregulated transfers can create safety, permanency, citizenship, and trauma risks, defines “unregulated custody transfer,” and updates an internal statutory cross-reference. The measure directs HHS to coordinate with other federal agencies (including the State Department), update federal websites and materials for state, local, and Tribal child welfare workers and prospective adoptive families, and describe technical assistance activities in the required report. It does not authorize new spending in the text provided.
Introduced February 13, 2025 by Amy Klobuchar · Last progress February 13, 2025