Representatives Moore, Wagner, Owens, Moskowitz Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Children from Abuse

Representatives Moore, Wagner, Owens, Moskowitz Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Protect Children from Abuse

WASHINGTON - Representatives Blake Moore (R-UT), Ann Wagner (R-MO), Burgess Owens (R-UT), and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) introduced the bipartisan GRACIE Act to support state efforts to require and retain the digital recording of all Child Protective Services (CPS) interviews.

Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

"In Utah, the Division of Child and Family Services, Children's Justice Centers, and law enforcement work tirelessly to keep families safe and prosecute those who abuse or neglect children. They need every tool available to them to support and stand up for children when they need it most," Rep. Moore said. "I'm proud to introduce the GRACIE Act with Rep. Wagner to financially support states that voluntarily choose to record official child protective service interviews."

"Child Protective Services is a critical tool to shield children from abuse, and they are often the first step in ensuring children are taken out of abusive situations and abusers are put behind bars. The GRACIE Act would help ensure these initial interviews with investigators are appropriately retained so our justice system has the right evidence to hold accountable the perpetrators of this despicable crime," Rep. Wagner said. "I appreciated working with my colleagues in the House and Senate, as well as partners in Missouri, to introduce this legislation that will help victims find justice."

"When a child speaks up about abuse, we cannot afford to lose that evidence. The GRACIE Act helps make sure those early interviews are preserved so the people who hurt children can be prosecuted," Rep. Moskowitz said. "This is a smart, straightforward bill that puts protecting kids first and I'm proud to support it."

"Every child deserves to have their voice heard, protected, and preserved. We have seen firsthand how unrecorded CPS interviews can keep truth hidden in the darkness even when a child is brave enough to cry out, and how that darkness can open the door to further exploitation and trafficking," Street Grace CEO Bob Rodgers said. "This legislation is a commonsense, overdue reform that brings accountability and transparency to the frontlines of child protection. We are deeply grateful to Reps. Ann Wagner, Elise Stefanik, Jared Moskowitz, Blake Moore, and Burgess Owens for their bold, bipartisan leadership in championing this bill in the House. The GRACIE Act will address the foster care-to-trafficking pipeline that has devastated far too many young lives."

"At 3Strands Global Foundation, we know that how systems respond in moments of crisis can shape a child's life forever. The GRACIE Act represents a critical step toward transparency, accountability, and trauma-informed care within child protective services," said Ashlie Bryant, CEO and Co-Founder, 3Strands Global Foundation. "By ensuring that child welfare interviews are recorded, this legislation helps protect the integrity of investigations, safeguard the rights of children and families, and build trust in the systems designed to keep them safe. We are grateful to Representatives Wagner, Stefanik, Moskowitz, Moore, and Owens for their leadership in advancing common-sense protections that prioritize both child safety and system accountability."

Background

In the United States, an estimated 37.4% of children are interviewed by CPS before the age of 18. Additionally, it is estimated that 60% of all child sex trafficking victims have been involved in the foster care system.

CPS serves as the gatekeeper to this foster care system, and interview protocols remain outdated throughout the United States. Often, initial interviews are conducted spontaneously at the child's school or at home by a social worker, and the child's statements are written down without witnesses or accountability for accuracy.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), as well as most state-level police departments, already require recordings of all interrogations or body cameras.

Read the full bill here.