110 HR 3283 IH: A Casa for Every Child Act of U.S. House of Representatives 2007-08-01 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3283 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 1, 2007 Mr. Cardoza introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means A BILL To amend part E of title IV of the Social Security Act to require States to provide foster children with court-appointed special advocates who meet national standards, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the A Casa for Every Child Act of 2007.

2.

Foster children required to be provided with court-appointed special advocates who meet national standards

(a)

In general

Section 471(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 671(a)) is amended— (1)by striking and at the end of paragraph (26)(C); (2)by striking the period at the end of paragraph (27) and inserting ; and; and (3)by adding at the end the following: (28)provide that the State shall have in effect such laws and procedures as are necessary to ensure that each child in foster care under the responsibility of the State has a court-appointed special advocate who is a volunteer in a member program of the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association which is in compliance with the standards of the Association. . (b)

Prohibition on payments for State expenditures for court-appointed special advocates who do not meet national standards

Section 474 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 674) is amended by adding at the end the following: (g)The Secretary shall not make a payment to a State under this section with respect to expenditures for a court-appointed special advocate for a child in foster care under the responsibility of the State, unless the advocate is a volunteer described in section 471(a)(28). . (c)

Effective date

(1)

In general

The amendments made by this section shall apply to payments under part E of title IV of the Social Security Act for calendar quarters beginning on or after the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, without regard to whether regulations to implement the amendments are promulgated by 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 a State plan approved under such part to meet the additional requirements imposed by the amendments made by this Act, 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 first regular session of the State legislature that begins 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act. 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.