On February 9, 2024, the Jenna Quinn Law of 2024 was introduced in the US Senate and passed with an amendment by unanimous consent. The bill was introduced by Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Chair McCaul (TX-10), Representative Susan Wild (D-PA), Representative Nathaniel Moran (TX-01), and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX). The bipartisan bill would make investments in children’s health and safety, and empower the adults around them to recognize signs of abuse and take action before it is too late. It allows the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide grants for evidence-informed child sexual abuse awareness and prevention programs. Named after a survivor of child sexual abuse, the law would allow federal grants to be used to train teachers, caregivers, and other adults who work with children on sexual abuse prevention and reporting practices. The grants may be awarded for a period of up to five years.
The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on expenditures under the program.
The bill now heads to the House.