S. 659 — GRACIE Act of 2025

This section authorizes the Director of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to award grants to eligible child protective services agencies of states (including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. territories) for recording and storing all child welfare interviews (i.e., documented interviews with children and adults to investigate abuse, neglect, or exposure to violence). Eligible agencies must require such interviews to be recorded via electronic audio, body camera video, or other reasonable means and retained for at least five years under secure protocols that (1) limit release primarily to those investigating allegations (with caregiver or guardian access in judicial proceedings absent a court order), (2) impose penalties for violations, and (3) ensure role-based access controls. Grant funds, drawn from amounts otherwise available to the Director, must be used exclusively for recording and five-year retention costs, including for initial interviews during family assessments.