John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act
Sponsored By: Representative Davis (IL)
Introduced
Summary
Prohibits discrimination in federally funded child welfare services based on religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), and marital status. The bill would aim to improve safety, well‑being, and permanency for LGBTQ children and expand the pool of eligible foster and adoptive homes.
Show full summary
- LGBTQ children and youth: The bill would bar refusing services or placements because of sexual orientation or gender identity and would require services that are gender‑appropriate, language‑appropriate, and culturally sensitive. It cites that LGBTQ youth are at least 30% of those in foster care and seeks to reduce their placement in congregate settings.
- Prospective parents and providers: Covered entities could not exclude or deny benefits to foster or adoptive parents for religion, sex, or marital status. The law would authorize inclusive recruitment, cultural competency training, a private right of action for people harmed, and technical assistance for agencies.
- Federal oversight and data: The Secretary would issue guidance within 6 months and collect sexual orientation and gender identity data through AFCARS, create a National Resource Center, and the GAO would study state compliance within 3 years.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Training, data, and a national resource center
This bill would create a National Resource Center to train and help states improve safety and stable family placements for LGBTQ children and youth. It would require cultural competency training for staff, judges, and attorneys, and technical help to fix state laws and practices that conflict with the Act. The bill would add AFCARS data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity and define covered children (up to age 23) and conversion therapy rules. If enacted, states and agencies would get federal support and clearer standards to serve children with diverse identities.
Protecting families in child welfare
This bill would ban discrimination by agencies that get federal child welfare money. Agencies could not deny services, placements, or benefits because of religion, sex (including sexual orientation or gender identity), or marital status. The rule would apply to state and local agencies, contractors, and other entities that run or help with federal child welfare programs. If enacted, families seeking foster or adoptive homes would have clearer legal protections.
Enforcement, guidance, and remedies
This bill would require HHS to issue compliance guidance within six months of enactment and set short deadlines for covered entities to follow the rules. It would create a private right to sue for people harmed and allow courts to order fixes and award attorney fees. The Secretary could withhold federal child welfare payments to states that fail to comply. The bill would also preserve Title VI civil rights protections and block the Religious Freedom Restoration Act as a defense to claims under this law.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Davis (IL)
IL • D
Cosponsors
Craig
MN • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Moore (WI)
WI • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Chu
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Amo
RI • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Beatty
OH • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Bell
MO • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Beyer
VA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Bishop
GA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Boyle (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Brown
OH • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Brownley
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Casten
IL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Castor (FL)
FL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Castro (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Carson
IN • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Clarke (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Costa
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Davids (KS)
KS • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Dean (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
DeGette
CO • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
DeLauro
CT • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
DelBene
WA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Deluzio
PA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Doggett
TX • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Evans (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Garamendi
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Garcia (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Garcia (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Goldman (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Gomez
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Horsford
NV • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Houlahan
PA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Kamlager-Dove
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Kaptur
OH • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Kelly (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Krishnamoorthi
IL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Landsman
OH • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Larson (CT)
CT • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Lee (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Lynch
MA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
McIver
NJ • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Panetta
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Peters
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large]
VI • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Pocan
WI • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Quigley
IL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Ramirez
IL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Raskin
MD • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Sanchez
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Scanlon
PA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Schakowsky
IL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Schneider
IL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Scott, David
GA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Sewell
AL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Sherman
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Simon
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Sorensen
IL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Stanton
AZ • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Suozzi
NY • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Swalwell
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Takano
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Thanedar
MI • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Thompson (MS)
MS • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Thompson (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Tlaib
MI • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Tokuda
HI • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Underwood
IL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Walkinshaw
VA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Wilson (FL)
FL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
McCollum
MN • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Carbajal
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Lieu
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Garcia (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Gottheimer
NJ • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Neguse
CO • D
Sponsored 11/25/2025
Williams (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 11/25/2025
McBride
DE • D
Sponsored 11/25/2025
Pressley
MA • D
Sponsored 11/25/2025
Jayapal
WA • D
Sponsored 11/25/2025
Soto
FL • D
Sponsored 11/25/2025
Barragan
CA • D
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Fletcher
TX • D
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Carter (LA)
LA • D
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Trahan
MA • D
Sponsored 12/2/2025
Subramanyam
VA • D
Sponsored 12/2/2025
Ansari
AZ • D
Sponsored 12/2/2025
Strickland
WA • D
Sponsored 12/2/2025
Johnson (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Latimer
NY • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Scholten
MI • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Cleaver
MO • D
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Levin
CA • D
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Watson Coleman
NJ • D
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Mullin
CA • D
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Friedman
CA • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Bera
CA • D
Sponsored 12/16/2025
Balint
VT • D
Sponsored 12/16/2025
Torres (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 12/16/2025
Aguilar
CA • D
Sponsored 12/16/2025
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 12/17/2025
Matsui
CA • D
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Rivas
CA • D
Sponsored 1/9/2026
Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large]
PR • D
Sponsored 1/21/2026
McGarvey
KY • D
Sponsored 1/21/2026
Espaillat
NY • D
Sponsored 1/27/2026
Perez
WA • D
Sponsored 1/27/2026
Pettersen
CO • D
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Ruiz
CA • D
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Tran
CA • D
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Crockett
TX • D
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Titus
NV • D
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Ross
NC • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Moulton
MA • D
Sponsored 2/2/2026
Cohen
TN • D
Sponsored 2/3/2026
Velazquez
NY • D
Sponsored 2/3/2026
Pou
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/4/2026
Frankel, Lois
FL • D
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Veasey
TX • D
Sponsored 2/11/2026
Wasserman Schultz
FL • D
Sponsored 2/13/2026
Sykes
OH • D
Sponsored 2/13/2026
Menendez
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/17/2026
McBath
GA • D
Sponsored 2/17/2026
DeSaulnier
CA • D
Sponsored 2/20/2026
Foster
IL • D
Sponsored 2/23/2026
Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
Sponsored 2/23/2026
Adams
NC • D
Sponsored 4/6/2026
Mrvan
IN • D
Sponsored 4/6/2026
Meng
NY • D
Sponsored 4/6/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in