Designated Placement Requirements Under Titles IV-E and IV-B for LGBTQI+ Children; Rescission

Document 2026-14131 is a Final Rule published by the Department of Health and Human Services in the Federal Register on July 14, 2026, with an effective date of July 14, 2026. This rule finalizes the removal of the requirements issued in the Designated Placement Requirements Under Titles IV-E and IV-B for LGBTQI+ Children final rule that was published on April 30, 2024 (hereafter referred to as the 2024 final rule). The 2024 final rule required title IV-E/IV-B agencies to ensure that a Designated Placement is available for all children who self-identify with an alternative sexual orientation or self-identify as something other than their sex in foster care who request or would benefit from such a placement. Those requirements were never implemented as a result of the decision from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas that vacated the 2024 final rule in its entirety. To ensure clarity for the public and regulated entities, ACF is removing the provisions from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/14/2026-14131/designated-placement-requirements-under-titles-iv-e-and-iv-b-for-lgbtqi-children-rescission.

No. Document 2026-14131 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.