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119-hr-5507119th Congress

Hidden Foster Care Transparency Act

Sponsored By: Representative Moran, Nathaniel [R-TX-1]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would create a nationwide framework to measure and publicly report separations of children into _hidden foster care arrangements_. It would require states to send detailed case data to the Department of Health and Human Services and tie Title IV‑E funding to that reporting.

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  • Families and children: Would produce counts and details showing whether parents were offered or had legal counsel within 72 hours and how many children remained in arrangements more than 90 days without custody orders.
  • States and child protective services: Would require States to submit detailed annual data to AFCARS (Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System) as a condition for Title IV‑E funds, including allegation types, investigation results, services offered, and case outcomes.
  • Federal oversight and public transparency: Would direct the HHS Secretary to compile an annual nationwide report, promote consistent data collection across States, issue guidance or technical assistance, and make state reports publicly available.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Defines hidden foster care for families

This bill would set a clear, national meaning for “hidden foster care.” It would cover any time a child lives away from a parent without a court order and without the State taking custody. It would include moves suggested by child protection workers after a hotline call or during an investigation, even if called safety planning or kinship diversion. This definition would help count and track these separations for oversight.

New state reporting on hidden foster care

States that get federal foster care funds would need to send new yearly data on hidden foster care. States would report how many children were separated, why, how long, and how the cases ended. They would report if parents got a lawyer before or within 72 hours, and how many cases lasted over 90 days without custody orders. Data would flow through the federal Adoption and Foster Care data system. The federal agency would publish an annual report for Congress and the public and could issue guidance to help states. Some items would be reported only if the data is available.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Moran, Nathaniel [R-TX-1]

TX • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]

    WI • D

    Sponsored 7/14/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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