S. 4556

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4556 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4556

To amend part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to modify case 
plan requirements for children in foster care, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 18, 2026

Mr. Grassley (for himself and Mr. Lujan) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to modify case 
plan requirements for children in foster care, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Informed Foster Youth Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. CASE PLAN REQUIREMENTS.

(a) In General.--Section 475 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
675) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(D), by striking the period at the end 
and inserting ``, including any services that meet the child's 
needs and are available to the child under the State program 
carried out pursuant to section 477.''; and
(2) in paragraph (5)--
(A) by striking subparagraph (D) and inserting the 
following:
``(D) a child's health and education record (as 
described in paragraph (1)(C)) is reviewed and updated, 
and a copy of the record is supplied to the foster 
parent or foster care provider with whom the child is 
placed, at the time of each placement of the child in 
foster care, and is supplied, free of cost, to--
``(i) the foster parent or foster care 
provider with whom the child is placed, at the 
time of each placement of the child in foster 
care;
``(ii) the child, if the child has attained 
14 years of age, at the time of each placement 
of the child in foster care or not less often 
than once every 12 months; and
``(iii) the child at the time the child 
leaves foster care if the child is leaving 
foster care by reason of having attained the 
age of majority under State law;'';
(B) in subparagraph (H)--
(i) by striking ``that is personalized'' 
and all that follows through ``; and''; and 
inserting `that--
``(i) is personalized at the direction of 
the child, includes specific options on 
housing, health insurance, education, local 
opportunities for mentors and continuing 
support services, and work force supports and 
employment services;
``(ii) includes information about--
``(I) the eligibility of former 
foster children for medical assistance 
under title XIX and on how to enroll in 
a State plan or waiver under such title 
for such assistance and on how to 
obtain assistance with enrolling in 
such plan or waiver; and
``(II) the importance of 
designating another individual to make 
health care treatment decisions on 
behalf of the child if the child 
becomes unable to participate in such 
decisions and the child does not have, 
or does not want, a relative who would 
otherwise be authorized under State law 
to make such decisions; and
``(iii) provides the child with the option 
to execute a health care power of attorney, 
health care proxy, or other similar document 
recognized under State law, and is as detailed 
as the child may elect; and''; and
(C) by striking subparagraph (I) and inserting the 
following:
``(I) each child in foster care under the 
responsibility of the State who--
``(i) has attained 14 years of age--
``(I) is informed in an age-
appropriate way of services available 
to the child under the State program 
carried out pursuant to section 477, 
including in every meeting between a 
caseworker and the child and at every 
court or administrative hearing held 
with respect to the child that requires 
the attendance of the child; and
``(II) receives without cost--
``(aa) a copy of any 
consumer report (as defined in 
section 603(d) of the Fair 
Credit Reporting Act) 
pertaining to the child, each 
year until the child is 
discharged from care, and 
assistance (including, when 
feasible, from any court-
appointed advocate for the 
child) in interpreting and 
resolving any inaccuracies in 
the consumer report;
``(bb) if the child is 
eligible to receive such 
document, an official or 
certified copy of the United 
States birth certificate of the 
child and a Social Security 
card issued by the Commissioner 
of Social Security, except that 
the child may request that 1 or 
both of such documents be 
safely retained by the State 
for any length of time while 
the child remains in foster 
care under the responsibility 
of the State;
``(cc) if the child is 
eligible to receive such a 
document, a driver's license or 
identification card issued by a 
State in accordance with the 
requirements of section 202 of 
the REAL ID Act of 2005, or 
assistance with obtaining such 
license or card; and
``(dd) official 
documentation necessary to 
prove the child is in foster 
care; and
``(ii) is leaving foster care by reason of 
having attained 18 years of age or such greater 
age as the State has elected under paragraph 
(8) is not discharged from care without being 
provided with, at no cost to the child--
``(I) a copy of any consumer report 
(as defined in section 603(d) of the 
Fair Credit Reporting Act) pertaining 
to the child and assistance (including, 
when feasible, from any court-appointed 
advocate for the child) in interpreting 
and resolving any inaccuracies in the 
consumer report;
``(II) if the child is eligible to 
receive such document, an official or 
certified copy of the United States 
birth certificate of the child;
``(III) if the child is eligible to 
receive such document, a social 
security card issued by the 
Commissioner of Social Security;
``(IV) if the child is eligible to 
receive such document, a driver's 
license or identification card issued 
by a State in accordance with the 
requirements of section 202 of the REAL 
ID Act of 2005;
``(V) information on health 
insurance available to the child (as 
described in subparagraph (H)(ii));
``(VI) copies of the child's health 
and education records (as described in 
paragraph (1)(C)); and
``(VII) official documentation 
necessary to prove that the child was 
previously in foster care.''.
(b) List of Rights.--Section 475A of such Act (42 U.S.C. 675a) is 
amended by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
``(b) List of Rights.--The case plan for any child in foster care 
under the responsibility of the State who has attained 14 years of age 
shall include--
``(1) a document that describes the rights of the child--
``(A) with respect to education, health care, 
visitation, court participation, and consultation on 
case planning, development of a permanency plan, and 
determining transition services;
``(B) to be informed, in accordance with section 
475(5)(I)(i)(I), of services available to the child 
under the State program carried out pursuant to section 
477;
``(C) to be provided with the documents specified 
in clauses (i)(II) and (ii) of section 475(5)(I) in 
accordance with that section;
``(D) to stay safe and avoid exploitation;
``(E) to seek redress for a violation of a right of 
the child under this section; and
``(2) for each year that the child remains in foster care 
under the responsibility of the State, a signed and dated 
acknowledgment by the child that--
``(A) the child has been provided with a copy of 
the document described in paragraph (1);
``(B) the rights contained in such document have 
been explained to the child in an age-appropriate way; 
and
``(C) the child has been provided with a separate 
written description of any requirements necessary to 
receive the documents specified in clauses (i)(II) and 
(ii) of section 475(5)(I), along with notice of any 
assistance available to the child to meet such 
requirements.''.
(c) Effective Date.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
amendments made by this section shall take effect on the 1st 
day of the 1st fiscal year beginning on or after the date of 
enactment of this Act and shall apply to payments under part E 
of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 670 et seq.) 
for calendar quarters beginning on or after such date.
(2) Delay permitted if state legislation required.--If the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services determines that State 
legislation (other than legislation appropriating funds) is 
required in order for any State plan approved under part E of 
title IV of the Social Security Act to meet the additional 
requirements imposed by the amendments made by this section, 
the plan shall not be regarded as failing to meet any of the 
additional requirements before the 1st day of the 1st calendar 
quarter beginning after the 1st regular session of the State 
legislature that begins after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. For purposes of the preceding sentence, if the State has a 
2-year legislative session, each year of the session is deemed 
to be a separate regular session of the State legislature.
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