Bills › 91st General Assembly
Requiring the department of health and human services to pay for the costs of a child’s placement in shelter care
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 20, 2026
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 20, 2026
- Stopped: House committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: Senate committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2026 session adjourned on May 3, 2026, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary Currently, if the state does not pay the full cost of a child's temporary shelter care, the child's home county must pay the difference. This bill changes that rule so the Department of Health and Human Services must pay for all shelter care costs. The department will also update its official rules to show they are responsible for these payments.1
Read the official explanation
“Shelter care” is the temporary care of a child in a physically unrestricting facility at any time between the child’s initial contact with juvenile authorities and the final judicial disposition of the child’s case. Under current law, if the department of health and human services (HHS) is not authorized to pay all of the costs of a child’s shelter care placement, then the child’s custodial parent’s county of residence shall pay for the difference between the actual and allowable costs of the shelter care and the amount HHS paid to the shelter care provider. This bill requires HHS to pay all costs for a child’s shelter care and requires HHS to amend its rules to reflect HHS’s responsibility to pay the costs of shelter care.
House subcommittee
Named January 20, 2026. On January 28, 2026 it recommended passage.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part