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SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 3243
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBL Y
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENT A TIVE ALLEN.
7081H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
T o amend chapter 210, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to emer gency
placement of certain children.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 210, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be
2 known as section 210.168, to read as follows:
210.168. 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "MO Families
2 First Act".
3 2. As used in this section, the following terms mean:
4 (1) "Child", any person under eighteen years of age;
5 (2) "Division", the Missouri children's division within the department of social
6 services;
7 (3) "Federal enforcem ent action", any arres t, detention, rem oval, or deportation
8 pr oceeding initiated by a federal law enforcem ent or immigration authority;
9 (4) "Par ent or legal guardian", a biological par ent, adoptive par ent, legal
10 guardian, or other individual legally r esponsible for the car e and custody of a child;
11 (5) "State system", any public school, charter school, licensed child car e facility ,
12 foster care pr ogram, juvenile justice facility , or state-funded pro gram serving childr en.
13 3. If a state agency or educational institution becomes awar e that a paren t or
14 legal guardian of a child rec eiving services thr ough a state system has been subject to a
15 federal enforcem ent action, such agency or institution shall notify the division within
16 twenty-four hours of rec eiving such information.
EXPLANA TION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted from the law . Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.
17 4. Upon recei pt of notification under subsection 3 of this section, the division
18 shall pr omptly initiate an assessment to determine:
19 (1) The child's immediate safety and well-being;
20 (2) The availability of appr opriate caregi vers, including rela tives or other
21 individuals with an established rel ationship to the child;
22 (3) The child's immediate needs, including housing, medical care, and emotional
23 support; and
24 (4) The child's educational placement and continuity needs.
25 5. In determining appr opriate placement, the division shall, consistent with
26 existing child welfare laws and safety standards:
27 (1) Give priority to placement with a fit and willing r elative or known caregi ver
28 if such placement is in the best interes t of the child;
29 (2) Make reas onable efforts to preserve sibling rela tionships;
30 (3) Consider the child's existing r elationships, community ties, and cultural
31 connections;
32 (4) When appr opriate and safe, consult with the pare nt or legal guardian
33 r egarding pref erred placement arrangements.
34 6. School districts and educational institutions shall make reas onable efforts to
35 maintain educational stability for a child affected under this section, including
36 pr eservation of r ecords and coordination with the division, so long as the child
37 r emains enr olled or placed within the school district or educational institution.
38 7. The division shall pr ovide families with information r egarding options for
39 establishing temporary or permanent guardianship and coordinate, when available,
40 with legal service pr oviders to assist families in understanding such options.
41 8. Nothing in this section shall be construed to:
42 (1) Interfere with federal immigration enforcem ent authority;
43 (2) Requir e any state or local agency to inquire into or repor t the immigration
44 status of any individual;
45 (3) Creat e a private cause of action against the state or any state agency; or
46 (4) Alter existing mandatory r eporting requi rem ents r elating to child abuse or
47 neglect.
48 9. The division may pro mulgate all necessary rules and reg ulations for the
49 administration of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in
50 section 536.010, that is crea ted under the authority delegated in this section shall
51 become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provi sions of chapter
52 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable
53 and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to
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54 r eview , to delay the effective date, or to disappr ove and annul a rule are subsequently
55 held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule pr oposed or
56 adopted after August 28, 2026, shall be invalid and void.
✔
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