Family Poverty is Not Child Neglect Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 2535 To amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to ensure that child protective services systems do not permit the separation of children from parents on the basis of poverty, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 7, 2019 Ms. MOORE (for herself and Ms. FUDGE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor A BILL To amend the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act to ensure that child protective services systems do not permit the separation of children from parents on the basis of poverty, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Family Poverty is Not 4 Child Neglect Act’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:32 May 14, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2535.IH H2535 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 2535 IH SEC. 2. GRANTS TO STATES FOR CHILD ABUSE OR NE- 1 GLECT PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PRO- 2 GRAMS. 3 Section 106(a) of the Child Abuse Prevention and 4 Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a(a)) is amended— 5 (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘neglect;’’ and 6 inserting ‘‘neglect, ensuring that reports concerning 7 a child’s living arrangements or subsistence needs 8 are addressed through services and benefits and that 9 no child is separated from the child’s parent for rea- 10 sons of poverty;’’; and 11 (2) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘response;’’ 12 and inserting ‘‘response, except that such system, 13 tools, and protocols shall not authorize the separa- 14 tion of any child from the child’s parent or guardian 15 on the basis of poverty;’’. 16 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:32 May 14, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H2535.IH H2535 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS