GRACIE Act of 2025

Grants to record child interviews

If enacted, the bill would create a grant program at OJJDP to pay State child protective agencies to record and store all child welfare interviews. Only State agencies that already require recording and five-year retention by statute, ordinance, policy, or practice would be eligible. Grant money could only pay costs tied to recording and keeping interviews for at least 5 years, including initial family assessment interviews. States would have to limit who can see recordings to investigators, give caregivers a copy for court cases unless a judge orders otherwise, impose penalties for improper release, and use secure role-based storage. The Director would run the program using amounts otherwise available to the Director; no new appropriation is specified.