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B26-0409 • 2025

Empowering Parents in CFSA Investigations Amendment Act of 2025

Empowering Parents in CFSA Investigations Amendment Act of 2025

Children
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Parker
Last action
2026-06-26
Official status
Official Law
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date depends on approval by the Mayor and a 30-day congressional review period, which may delay implementation beyond June 11, 2026.

Empowering Parents in CFSA Investigations Amendment Act of 2026

This law requires the Child and Family Services Agency to tell caretakers about legal help, their right to a lawyer during neglect proceedings, and how to file complaints when an investigation starts.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires agency staff to inform caretakers of available legal resources at the start of an investigation.
  • Mandates that agencies explain the Office of the Ombudsperson for Children as a place to send complaints during interviews with caretakers.
  • Ensures caretakers are told about their right to have a lawyer present during critical stages of neglect proceedings.
  • Adds a rule requiring written notice listing legal resources when an investigation begins.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) in the District of Columbia
  • Parents or caretakers whose children are involved in abuse or neglect investigations

Terms To Know

Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA)
The government group that investigates reports of child abuse and neglect.
Ombudsperson for Children
An office where people can send complaints about how children are treated by agencies.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not list specific examples of the legal resources that must be shared.
  • It is unclear if this written notice applies to every single type of investigation or only those involving neglect proceedings.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-26 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Law L26-0133, Effective from Jun 11, 2026 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 008887

  2. 2026-05-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0312 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 006834

  3. 2026-04-29 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Congress

  4. 2026-04-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0312

  5. 2026-04-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  6. 2026-04-13 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Apr 28, 2026

  7. 2026-03-31 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  8. 2026-03-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  9. 2026-01-27 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Committee Mark-up of B26-0409 by the Youth Affairs Committee

  10. 2025-11-19 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Public Hearing on B26-0409 View Public Hearing Record

  11. 2025-10-31 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Public Hearing Published in the District of Columbia Register

  12. 2025-10-24 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Public Hearing filed in the Office of Secretary by Youth Affairs

  13. 2025-10-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0409 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  14. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Referred to Committee on Youth Affairs

  15. 2025-10-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0409 Introduced by Councilmember Parker at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Empowering Parents in CFSA Investigations Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
APRIL 24, 2026
Toamendsection104ofthePreventionofChildAbuseandNeglectActof1977torequirethe
ChildandFamilyServicesAgencytoinform,attheinitiationofaninvestigation,caretakersofanylegalresourcesavailabletothem,theavailabilityoftheOfficeoftheOmbudspersonforChildrenasaresourceforcomplaints,andtheirrighttocounsel
duringcriticalstagesofneglectproceedings.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
actmay be citedas the“Empowering Parentsin CFSA InvestigationsAmendment Act of 2026”.
Sec.2.Section104(c)(3)ofthePreventionofChildAbuseandNeglectActof197,
effectiveSeptember23,197(D.C.Law2-22;D.C.OfficialCode§4-1301.04(¢)(3)),isamendedasfollows:(a)Subparagraph(B)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(B)Conductinganinterviewwiththechild’scaretakerorcaretakers,duringwhichtimetheAgencyshallinformthecaretakeroftheirrighttocounselpursuanttoD.C.
OfficialCode§16-2304(b)(1),legalresourcesavailabletothecaretaker,andtheavailabilityoftheOmbudspersonforChildrenasaresourcetoreceivecomplaintspursuanttosection104oftheOfficeoftheOmbudspersonforChildrenEstablishmentAmendmentActof2020,effective
April5,2021(D.C.law23-270;D.C.OfficialCode§4-671.04).”,(b)Subparagraph(F)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;and”andinsertingasemicolon
initsplace.(c)Subparagraph(G)isamendedbystrikingtheperiodandinsertingthephrase“;and”
initsplace.(d)A newsubparagraph(H)isaddedtoreadasfollows:“(H)Writtennotificationoflegalresourcesavailabletothechild’sreportedcaretakerorcaretakersattheinitiationoftheinvestigationprocess.”.
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementinthecommitteereportasthefiscal
1
ENROLLED ORIGINAL.
impactstatementrequiredby section4a of theGeneralLegislativeProceduresAct of 1975,
approved October 16,2006 (120 Stat.2038; D.C. OfficialCode§ 1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.‘ThisactshalltakeeffectafterapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreview
asprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember
24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§ 1-206.02(c)(1)).
jairman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia

‘ea DistrictofColumbia
APPROVED
APRIL 24, 2026
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