[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 117, 108th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

117 STAT. 1167]]

Public Law 108-96
108th Congress

An Act


 
To reauthorize programs under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act and the
Missing Children's Assistance Act, and for other purposes. [NOTE: Oct.
10, 2003 -  [H.R. 1925]]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, [NOTE: Runaway,
Homeless, and Missing Children Protection Act. Grants.]

SECTION 1. [NOTE: 42 USC 5601 note.] SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Runaway, Homeless, and Missing
Children Protection Act''.

TITLE I--AMENDMENTS TO RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH ACT

SEC. 101. AMENDMENT TO FINDINGS.

Section 302 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5701)
is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 302. FINDINGS.

``The Congress finds that--
``(1) youth who have become homeless or who leave and remain
away from home without parental permission, are at risk of
developing, and have a disproportionate share of, serious
health, behavioral, and emotional problems because they lack
sufficient resources to obtain care and may live on the street
for extended periods thereby endangering themselves and creating
a substantial law enforcement problem for communities in which
they congregate;
``(2) many such young people, because of their age and
situation, are urgently in need of temporary shelter and
services, including services that are linguistically appropriate
and acknowledge the environment of youth seeking these services;
``(3) in view of the interstate nature of the problem, it is
the responsibility of the Federal Government to develop an
accurate national reporting system to report the problem, and to
assist in the development of an effective system of care
(including preventive and aftercare services, emergency shelter
services, extended residential shelter, and street outreach
services) outside the welfare system and the law enforcement
system;
``(4) to make a successful transition to adulthood, runaway
youth, homeless youth, and other street youth need opportunities
to complete high school or earn a general equivalency degree,
learn job skills, and obtain employment; and

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117 STAT. 1168

``(5) improved coordination and collaboration between the
Federal programs that serve runaway and homeless youth are
necessary for the development of a long-term strategy for
responding to the needs of this population.''.

SEC. 102. GRANT PROGRAM CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

The heading for part A of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42
U.S.C. 5711 et seq.) is amended by striking ``Runaway and Homeless
Youth'' and inserting ``Basic Center''.

SEC. 103. GRANTS FOR SERVICES PROVIDED.

Section 311(a)(2)(C) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42
U.S.C. 5711(a)(2)(C)) is amended--
(1) in clause (ii) by striking ``and'';
(2) in clause (iii) by striking the period and inserting ``;
and''; and
(3) after clause (iii) by inserting the following:
``(iv) at the request of runaway and homeless
youth, testing for sexually transmitted
diseases.''.

SEC. 104. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE PROVISION RELATING TO CERTAIN ALLOTMENTS.

Section 311(b) the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C.
5711(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``Subject to paragraph
(3), the'' and inserting ``The'';
(2) by striking paragraph (3); and
(3) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3).

SEC. 105. ELIGIBILITY PROVISION.

Section 312(a) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C.
5712(a)) is amended by striking ``juveniles'' each place it appears and
inserting ``youth''.

SEC. 106. RECOGNITION OF STATE LAW RELATING TO CAPACITY LIMITATION ON
ELIGIBLE RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH CENTERS.

Section 312(b)(2)(A) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42
U.S.C. 5712(b)(2)(A)) is amended by inserting after ``youth'' the
following: ``, except where the applicant assures that the State where
the center or locally controlled facility is located has a State or
local law or regulation that requires a higher maximum to comply with
licensure requirements for child and youth serving facilities''.

SEC. 107. MATERNITY GROUP HOMES.

(a) Eligibility.--Section 322(a)(1) of the Runaway and Homeless
Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714-2(a)(1)) is amended--
(1) by inserting after ``group homes,'' the following:
``including maternity group homes,''; and
(2) by inserting after ``use of credit,'' the following:
``parenting skills (as appropriate),''.

(b) Definition.--Section 322 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
(42 U.S.C. 5714-2) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(c) Definition.--In this part, the term `maternity group home'
means a community-based, adult-supervised transitional living
arrangement that provides pregnant or parenting youth and their children
with a supportive and supervised living arrangement in

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117 STAT. 1169

which such pregnant or parenting youth are required to learn parenting
skills, including child development, family budgeting, health and
nutrition, and other skills to promote their long-term economic
independence in order to ensure the well-being of their children.''.

SEC. 108. LIMITED EXTENSION OF 540-DAY SHELTER ELIGIBILITY PERIOD.

Section 322(a)(2) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C.
5714-2(a)(2)) is amended by inserting after ``days'' the following: ``,
except that a youth in a program under this part who is under the age of
18 years on the last day of the 540-day period may, if otherwise
qualified for the program, remain in the program until the earlier of
the youth's 18th birthday or the 180th day after the end of the 540-day
period''.

SEC. 109. PART A PLAN COORDINATION ASSURANCES.

Section 312(b)(4)(B) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42
U.S.C. 5712(b)(4)(B)) is amended by striking ``personnel'' and all that
follows through the semicolon and inserting ``McKinney-Vento school
district liaisons, designated under section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)),
to assure that runaway and homeless youth are provided information about
the educational services available to such youth under subtitle B of
title VII of that Act;''.

SEC. 110. PART B PLAN COORDINATION AGREEMENT.

Section 322(a) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C.
5714-2(a)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' after the semicolon at the end of
paragraph (13);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (14) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(15) to coordinate services with McKinney-Vento school
district liaisons, designated under section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of
the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)), to assure that runaway and homeless youth
are provided information about the educational services
available to such youth under subtitle B of title VII of that
Act.''.

SEC. 111. PART B PLAN DEVELOPMENT.

Section 322(a)(7) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C.
5714-2(a)(7)) is amended to read as follows:
``(7) to develop an adequate plan to ensure proper referral
of homeless youth to social service, law enforcement,
educational (including post-secondary education), vocational,
training (including services and programs for youth available
under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998), welfare (including
programs under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996), legal service, and health care
programs and to help integrate and coordinate such services for
youths;''.

SEC. 112. COORDINATION OF PROGRAMS.

Section 341 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714-
21) is amended--

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117 STAT. 1170

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon at the end;
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) shall consult, as appropriate, the Secretary of
Housing and Urban Development to ensure coordination of programs
and services for homeless youth.''.

SEC. 113. CLARIFICATION OF GRANT AUTHORITY.

Section 343(a) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C.
5714-23(a)) is amended by inserting after ``service projects'' the
following: ``regarding activities under this title''.

SEC. 114. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT RELATING TO DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.

The section heading of section 344 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth
Act (42 U.S.C. 5714-24) is amended by striking ``temporary''.

SEC. 115. REPEAL OF OBSOLETE PROVISION RELATING TO STUDY.

The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5701 et seq.) is
amended by striking section 345 (42 U.S.C. 5714-25).

SEC. 116. AGE LIMIT FOR HOMELESS YOUTH.

Section 387(3)(A)(i) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42
U.S.C. 5732a(3)(A)(i)) is amended by inserting after ``of age'' the
following: ``, or, in the case of a youth seeking shelter in a center
under part A, not more than 18 years of age''.

SEC.
117. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) Other Than Part E.--Section 388(a)(1) of the Runaway and
Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5751(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``such
sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003''
and inserting ``$105,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, and such sums as may
be necessary for fiscal years 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008''.
(b) Part E.--Section 388(a)(4) of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
(42 U.S.C. 5751(a)(4)) is amended by striking ``2000, 2001, 2002, and
2003'' and inserting ``2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008''.
(c) Part B Allocation.--Section 388(a)(2)(B) of the Runaway and
Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5751(a)(2)(B)) is amended by striking
``not less than 20 percent, and not more than 30 percent'' and inserting
``45 percent and, in those fiscal years in which continuation grant
obligations and the quality and number of applicants for parts A and B
warrant not more than 55 percent''.

SEC. 118. [NOTE: Deadline. 42 USC 5701 note.] REPORT ON PROMISING
STRATEGIES TO END YOUTH HOMELESSNESS.

Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, shall submit to the
Congress a report on promising strategies to end youth homelessness.

SEC. 119. [NOTE: 42 USC 5714-1 note.] STUDY OF HOUSING SERVICES AND
STRATEGIES.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall conduct a study of
programs funded under part B of the Runaway and

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117 STAT. 1171

Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5714-1 et seq.) to report on long-term
housing outcomes for youth after exiting the program. The study of any
such program should provide information on housing services available to
youth upon exiting the program, including assistance in locating and
retaining permanent housing and referrals to other residential programs.
In addition, the study should identify housing models and placement
strategies that prevent future episodes of homelessness.

SEC. 120. RESTRICTION ON USE OF FUNDS.

The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5701 et seq.) is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 389. [NOTE: 42 USC 5752.] RESTRICTION ON USE OF FUNDS.

``(a) In General.--None of the funds contained in this title may be
used for any program of distributing sterile needles or syringes for the
hypodermic injection of any illegal drug.
``(b) Separate Accounting.--Any individual or entity who receives
any funds contained in this title and who carries out any program
described in subsection (a) shall account for all funds used for such
program separately from any funds contained in this title.''.

TITLE II--AMENDMENTS TO MISSING CHILDREN'S ASSISTANCE ACT

SEC. 201. AMENDMENT TO FINDINGS.

Section 402 of the Missing Children's Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
5771) is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 402. FINDINGS.

``The Congress finds that--
``(1) each year thousands of children are abducted or
removed from the control of a parent having legal custody
without such parent's consent, under circumstances which
immediately place the child in grave danger;
``(2) many missing children are at great risk of both
physical harm and sexual exploitation;
``(3) in many cases, parents and local law enforcement
officials have neither the resources nor the expertise to mount
expanded search efforts;
``(4) abducted children are frequently moved from one
locality to another, requiring the cooperation and coordination
of local, State, and Federal law enforcement efforts;
``(5) the National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children--
``(A) serves as the national resource center and
clearinghouse;
``(B) works in partnership with the Department of
Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the
Department of the Treasury, the Department of State, and
many other agencies in the effort to find missing
children and prevent child victimization; and
``(C) operates a national and increasingly worldwide
network, linking the Center online with each of the
missing

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117 STAT. 1172

children clearinghouses operated by the 50 States, the
District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, as well as with
Scotland Yard in the United Kingdom, the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police, INTERPOL headquarters in Lyon, France,
and others, which enable the Center to transmit images
and information regarding missing children to law
enforcement across the United States and around the
world instantly.''.

SEC. 202. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) Annual Grant to National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children.--Section 404(b)(2) of the Missing Children's Assistance Act
(42 U.S.C. 5773(b)(2)) is amended by striking ``2005'' and inserting
``2008''.
(b) In General.--Section 408(a) of the Missing Children's Assistance
Act (42 U.S.C. 5777(a)) is amended by striking ``2005.'' and inserting
``2008''.

Approved October 10, 2003.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1925 (S. 1451):
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 108-118 (Comm. on Education and the Workforce).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 149 (2003):
May 20, considered and passed House.
Sept. 30, considered and passed Senate.