Hidden Foster Care Transparency Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 5507 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5507 To require States to measure and publicly report on the separation of children from parents by hidden foster care arrangements, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 19, 2025 Mr. Moran introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require States to measure and publicly report on the separation of children from parents by hidden foster care arrangements, 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 ``Hidden Foster Care Transparency Act''. SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: (1) CPS agency.--The term ``CPS agency'' means the State agency responsible for the administration of the State plans under parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 621 et seq., 671 et seq.) and any State, county, local, or tribal child protective services agency. (2) Hidden foster care arrangement.-- (A) In general.--The term ``hidden foster care arrangement'' means any separation of a child from the child's parents or primary caregivers that occurs without the State taking responsibility for the care or placement of the child and without a court order or the involvement and oversight of a court of law, whether voluntary or involuntary. Such term includes a separation of a child that occurs-- (i) following a child protection hotline call or during an investigation by a CPS agency; or (ii) while a CPS agency has any involvement with a child's parents or primary caregivers but without the State taking responsibility for the care or placement of the child and w