#aaeth ,,congress  #ast ,session  ,h4   
,r4 #bhff  ,,an ,,act  ,to review and   
improve licensing standards for         
placement in a relative foster family   
home4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may  
be cited as the ,reducing ,unnecessary  
,barriers for ,relative ,foster ,parents
 ,act4  #b4 ,reviewing and improving    
licensing standards for placement in a  
relative foster family home  7a7        
,identification of reputable model      
licensing standards ,not later than     
,october #a1 #bjah1 the ,secretary of   
,health and ,human ,services shall      
identify reputable model licensing      
standards with respect to the licensing 
of foster family homes 7as defined in   
section #dgb7;c77#a7 of the ,social     
,security ,act74  7b7 ,state plan       
requirement ,section #dbb7;b7 of the    
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#fbb7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph
 7#ah71 by striking and after the       
semicolon2  7#b7 in paragraph 7#ai71 by 
striking the period at the end and      

inserting a semicolon2 and  7#c7 by     
adding at the end the following3  7#bj7 
provide that1 not later than ,april #a1 
#bjai1 the ,state shall submit to the   
,secretary information addressing-- 7,a7
 whether the ,state licensing standards 
are in accord with model standards      
identified by the ,secretary1 and if    
not1 the reason for the specific        
deviation and a description as to why   
having a standard that is reasonably in 
accord with the corresponding national  
model standards is not appropriate for  
the ,state2  7,b7 whether the ,state has
 elected to waive standards established 
in #dga7;a77#aj77;,a7 for relative      
foster family homes 7pursuant to waiver 
authority provided by                   
#dga7;a77#aj77;,d771 a description of   
which standards the ,state most commonly
 waives1 and if the ,state has not      
elected to waive the standards1 the     
reason for not waiving these standards2 
7,c7 if the ,state has elected to waive 
standards specified in subparagraph     

7,b71 how caseworkers are trained to use
 the waiver authority and whether the   
,state has developed a process or       
provided tools to assist caseworkers in 
waiving nonsafety standards per the     
authority provided in #dga7;a77#aj77;,d7
 to quickly place children with         
relatives2 and  7,d7 a description of   
the steps the ,state is taking to       
improve caseworker training or the      
process1 if any4  4  #c4 ,effective date
  7a7 ,effective date ,subject to       
subsection 7b71 the amendments made by  
this ,act shall take effect on the date 
of enactment of this ,act4  7b7         
,transition rule  7#a7 ,in general ,in  
the case of a ,state plan under part ,e 
of title ,,iv of the ,social ,security  
,act which the ,secretary of ,health and
 ,human ,services determines requires   
,state legislation 7other than          
legislation appropriating funds7 in     
order for the plan to meet the          
additional requirements imposed by the  
amendments made by this ,act1 the ,state

 plan shall not be regarded as failing  
to comply with the requirements of such 
part solely on the basis of the failure 
of the plan to meet such additional     
requirements before the first day of the
 first calendar quarter beginning after 
the close of the first regular session  
of the ,state legislature that begins   
after the date of enactment of this     
,act4 ,for purposes of the previous     
sentence1 in the case of a ,state that  
has a #b-year legislative session1 each 
year of the session shall be deemed to  
be a separate regular session of the    
,state legislature4  7#b7 ,application  
to programs operated by ,indian tribal  
organizations ,in the case of an ,indian
 tribe1 tribal organization1 or tribal  
consortium which the ,secretary of      
,health and ,human ,services determines 
requires time to take action necessary  
to comply with the additional           
requirements imposed by the amendments  
made by this ,act 7whether the tribe1   
organization1 or tribal consortium has a

 plan under section #dgi;,b of the      
,social ,security ,act or a cooperative 
agreement or contract entered into with 
a ,state71 the ,secretary shall provide 
the tribe1 organization1 or tribal      
consortium with such additional time as 
the ,secretary determines is necessary  
for the tribe1 organization1 or tribal  
consortium to take the action to comply 
with the additional requirements before 
being regarded as failing to comply with
 the requirements4  ,passed the ,house  
of ,representatives ,june #bj1          
#bjag4;,clerk4