GRACIE Act of 2026

This bill establishes a federal grant program to support states in recording and retaining all child welfare interviews conducted by state agencies. The Associate Commissioner of the Children's Bureau will award these grants to assist states in developing, implementing, and monitoring requirements for recording and retaining interviews. States applying for grants must outline their current recording and retention requirements, identify challenges, and describe their planned use of funds. Grant funds must be used for costs directly associated with conducting and retaining recordings of all child welfare interviews for five years. States must implement a statute or policy requiring all interviews to be recorded via electronic audio, body camera video, or other reasonable means. These recordings must be securely retained for at least five years, with access limited to appropriate government agencies or, upon request, to caregivers or guardians for judicial proceedings, unless a court orders otherwise. States must also maintain records for audit purposes to ensure accountability, with funding provided through fiscal year 2031.