Skip to main content
S 140 99th Congress Senate

Children's Justice and Assistance Act of 1986

Official title: A bill to amend the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984 to encourage States to enact child protection reforms which are designed to improve legal and administrative… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to amend the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984 to encourage States to enact child protection reforms which are designed to improve legal and administrative proceedings regarding the investigation and prosecution of sexual child abuse cases.

Introduced: April 24, 1985 See on congress.gov
Families Administration of criminal justiceAdministration of justiceAdvisory bodiesChild abuse
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Child healthChild molestingChildren and youthCourts and Civil ProcedureCrime and Law EnforcementCrime preventionCriminal justice informationCriminal justice information systemsDay careDisabledEconomics and Public FinanceFederal advisory bodiesFederal aid to child welfareFederal preemptionGovernment records, documents, and information
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
 Everywhere this bill has been 20 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Aug 27, 1986
Became Public Law No: 99-401.
Aug 27, 1986
Signed by President.
Aug 18, 1986
Presented to President.
Aug 15, 1986
Measure Signed in Senate.
Aug 12, 1986
Senate agreed to the House amendments. By Voice Vote.
Aug 12, 1986
Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to the House amendments. By Voice Vote.
Aug 7, 1986
Message on House action received in Senate and held at desk: House amendments to Senate bill.
Aug 4, 1986
Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Aug 4, 1986
Passed/agreed to in House: Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Aug 4, 1986
Called up by House Under Suspension of Rules.
Aug 1, 1985
Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
Aug 1, 1985
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
Jul 31, 1985
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 270.
Jul 31, 1985
Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Reported to Senate by Senator Hatch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 99-123.
Jul 10, 1985
Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jun 26, 1985
Subcommittee on Children, Family,Drugs and Alcohol. Approved for full committee consideration with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
May 2, 1985
Subcommittee on Children, Family,Drugs and Alcohol. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 99-196.
Mar 11, 1985
Referred to Subcommittee on Children, Family,Drugs and Alcohol.
Jan 3, 1985
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.
Jan 3, 1985
Introduced in Senate
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action August 27, 1986

Became Public Law No: 99-401.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Children's Justice Act - Amends the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984 to authorize a Children's Justice Grant Program.

Authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make additional grants to States under specified provisions of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act for identification, treatment, and prevention of sexual abuse.

Makes a State eligible for such assistance if the Secretary determines that the State, within one year after the enactment of this Act, has enacted specified legal and administrative changes with respect to the investigation and prosecution of child sexual abuse cases.

Requires a State, to be eligible for such assistance, to have in effect a child sexual abuse program which includes at least one statute or administrative procedure to carry out the following categories of reforms: (1) handling such cases so as to reduce the trauma to the child victim; (2) improving the chances of successful prosecution or legal action against child molesters; and (3) improving procedures to protect children from sexual abuse.

Directs the Secretary to issue necessary regulations for such assistance program.

Authorizes appropriations for FY 1986 and 1987.

 Related & companion bills 3
  • HR 2999 Related bill Children's Justice Act
  • HR 1205 Identical bill Children's Justice Act
  • HR 3858 Identical bill Children's Justice Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1
R
McConnell, Mitch
Kentucky · Apr 24, 1985
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 140: Children's Justice and Assistance Act of 1986. 99th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/99-S-140/
MLA
"S. 140: Children's Justice and Assistance Act of 1986." 99th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/99-S-140/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 140, 99th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/99-S-140/.
Markdown link
[S. 140: Children's Justice and Assistance Act of 1986](https://openamerica.io/bill/99-S-140/)
Report a problem