A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Family Poverty is Not Child Neglect Act," aims to amend the Social Security Act. It seeks to ensure that child protective services do not separate children from their parents or guardians strictly because of poverty. The legislation requires states to provide assurances that such separations will not occur solely due to financial status. Additionally, states must work on improving services and benefits to keep families together safely. Finally, the Secretary of Health and Human Services must submit a report to Congress regarding the effects of poverty on child welfare and custody.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +8
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill specifically protects low-income families from losing custody due to their financial status.
- Scored +7
Would children be better off under this?
The bill protects children from being separated from their families due to financial circumstances.
- Scored +5
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?
By prohibiting separation based solely on poverty, it protects the parental rights of low-income families.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this leave more decisions to the states?
The bill imposes new federal requirements and mandates on state-run child protective services.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Prevention of Unjust Separations: The bill requires assurances that no child is separated from a parent or guardian solely because of poverty (Section 2, paragraph 20, sub-paragraph A). This could prevent families from being broken up due to financial hardship.
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Increased Family Stability: States would be required to develop or improve services and benefits, such as assistance with housing insecurity or unemployment, to keep families in poverty together safely (Section 2, paragraph 20, sub-paragraph B).
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Improved Data and Recommendations: The Secretary of Health and Human Services must provide a report that includes recommendations for legislation to help prevent families in poverty from experiencing the separation of a child from the family (Section 3).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill specifically protects low-income families from losing custody due to their financial status. Would children be better off under this? — The bill protects children from being separated from their families due to financial circumstances.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — By prohibiting separation based solely on poverty, it protects the parental rights of low-income families. Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires a detailed report to Congress, increasing transparency regarding how poverty affects child welfare. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill increases federal oversight by requiring states to provide specific assurances and report back to Congress. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — The bill imposes new federal requirements and mandates on state-run child protective services.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill directs states to improve services like housing assistance to mitigate the impact of poverty on families. Is this likely to reduce homelessness? — By emphasizing assistance for housing insecurity, the bill implicitly targets the prevention of homelessness for families in poverty.
- 7/30/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- Introduced in House