H.R. 7236House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

In Good Standing Adoption Agencies Act of 2026

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Updated February 6, 2026 at 3:22 AM UTC

The In Good Standing Adoption Agencies Act of 2026 requires each state to provide the federal government with an annual list of private child‑placement agencies that are licensed, in good standing, and recognized as tax‑exempt charities. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Children’s Bureau, will compile these submissions into a publicly available national list and report it to Congress each year. States that do not comply risk losing eligibility for federal adoption‑related incentive payments.

Key Provisions

States must, by Jan 1 each fiscal year, send the HHS Secretary a list of private child‑placement agencies that are licensed, in good standing, and tax‑exempt under 501(c)(3).
The Secretary, via the Children’s Bureau, will create and keep a public national list using the most recent state submissions.
Each year the Secretary must report to Congress the national list and note any state‑licensed agencies missing from it, along with any disciplinary actions taken by states.
If a state fails to submit its list as required, it may lose eligibility for federal adoption and legal‑guardianship incentive payments.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Ways and Means Committee

January 23, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 23, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Ways and Means Committee

January 23, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 23, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 7236

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 23, 2026

Mr. Shreve introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

A BILL

To provide for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to maintain a national list of licensed private child placement agencies, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the In Good Standing Adoption Agencies Act of 2026.

National list of licensed child placement agencies

(a)

In general

Section 474 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 674) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(h)

National list of licensed child placement agencies

(1)

State reporting

(A)

In general

Not later than January 1 of each fiscal year, a State with a plan approved under this part for the fiscal year shall submit to the Secretary a list of private child placement agencies that, as of the end of the preceding fiscal year, were licensed or accredited by, and in good standing with, the State and exempt from Federal income tax by reason of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(B)

Child placement agency

In subparagraph (A), the term child placement agency means an agency that places children in prospective adoptive homes.

(2)

National list

The Secretary, through the United States Children’s Bureau, shall compile and maintain a publicly available list consisting of each list most recently submitted by a State under paragraph (1).

(3)

Annual reports to Congress

Not later than the 2nd December 31 after the date of the enactment of this subsection, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Congress a written report that contains the list maintained under paragraph (2) and identifies any child placement agency that is licensed by a State and is not on the list, and a specification of any disciplinary actions that a State has taken against a private child placement agency.

(b)

Loss of eligibility for adoption and legal guardianship incentive payments for failure of State To comply with list submission requirement

Section 473A(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 673b(b)) is amended—

(1)

by striking and at the end of paragraph (3);

(2)

by striking the period at the end of paragraph (4) and inserting ; and; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(5)

the State has complied with section 474(h)(1) with respect to the preceding fiscal year.