Bill Sponsor
Senate Bill 811
115th Congress(2017-2018)
Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2017
Introduced
Introduced
Introduced in Senate on Apr 4, 2017
Overview
Text
Sponsor
Introduced
Apr 4, 2017
Latest Action
Apr 4, 2017
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill
The primary form of legislative measure used to propose law. Depending on the chamber of origin, bills begin with a designation of either H.R. or S. Joint resolution is another form of legislative measure used to propose law.
Bill Number
811
Congress
115
Policy Area
Social Welfare
Social Welfare
Primary focus of measure is public assistance and Social Security programs; social services matters, including community service, volunteer, and charitable activities. Measures concerning such health programs as Medicare and Medicaid may fall under Health policy area.
Sponsorship by Party
Republican
Wyoming
Republican
Arkansas
Republican
Mississippi
Republican
Mississippi
Republican
Missouri
Republican
Nebraska
Republican
Nebraska
Republican
Oklahoma
Republican
South Carolina
Republican
South Dakota
Senate Votes (0)
House Votes (0)
No Senate votes have been held for this bill.
Summary

Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act of 2017

This bill prohibits the federal government, and any state or local government that receives federal funding for any program that provides child welfare services under part B (Child and Family Services) or part E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance) of title IV of the Social Security Act (SSAct), from discriminating or taking an adverse action against a child welfare service provider that declines to provide, facilitate, or refer for a child welfare service that conflicts with the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. The prohibition also applies to Indian tribal organizations or consortia that have an approved foster care and adoption assistance plan or that have an agreement with a state for the administration of funds under part B or part E of the SSAct.

The bill bars such prohibition from applying to SSAct requirements that forbid state entities from denying or delaying adoption or foster care placements on the basis of an adoptive parent's or a child's race, color, or national origin.

The Department of Health and Human Services must withhold 15% of the federal funds that such a state, local, or tribal entity receives for such programs if the state, local, or tribal entity violates this bill.

An aggrieved child welfare service provider may assert such an adverse action violation as a claim or defense in a judicial proceeding and to obtain all appropriate relief (including declaratory relief, injunctive relief, compensatory damages, and reasonable attorney's fees and costs).

Text (1)
Actions (2)
04/04/2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
04/04/2017
Introduced in Senate
Public Record
Record Updated
Jan 11, 2023 1:37:00 PM