A bill for an act relating to the placement of a child who is the subject of a pending delinquency petition in a supervised apartment living arrangement pursuant to a consent decree, and the circumstances under which the placement is paid by the state.

This bill (HSB 39) allows Iowa courts to place children facing delinquency charges in supervised apartment living arrangements - as an alternative to foster care - as part of a court-approved agreement (consent decree), provided the court determines it is the least restrictive option. It requires the state’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to cover the cost of such placements if the apartment meets HHS-established rules. The bill directly affects children in pending delinquency cases, courts making placement decisions, and HHS in managing funding. It expands existing placement options beyond traditional foster care while adding oversight requirements for state-funded arrangements.