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S. 4629

BillFederalSenateIn Committee
To prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), and marital status in the administration and provision of child welfare services, to improve safety, well-being, and permanency for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning foster youth, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · June 20, 2024
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Congress
118th (2023–2025)
Introduced
June 20, 2024
Cosponsors (43)
40D 0R
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Summary

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This bill, named after civil rights leader John Lewis, would prohibit discrimination based on religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and marital status in child welfare services that receive federal funding. The legislation applies to foster care, adoption, and related services administered by state and local agencies, religious organizations, and other entities receiving federal dollars for child welfare programs. The bill specifically aims to address the overrepresentation of LGBTQ youth in foster care, who are twice as likely to be in the system as other children and report significantly higher rates of mistreatment, placement instability, and suicide attempts. Under the law, child welfare agencies could no longer deny services or placements based on a prospective parent's religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status, and individuals harmed by discrimination could sue in federal court for damages and attorney fees. The bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to issue compliance guidance within six months, provide technical assistance to states and agencies, establish a national resource center focused on LGBTQ youth in foster care, and collect data on sexual orientation and gender identity through the federal foster care reporting system. States would have one year to comply, though extensions are possible if state law changes are needed, and failure to comply could result in the loss of federal child welfare funding.

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