Blind parents; custody or visitation rights. (SB1199)

Introduced By

Sen. Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) with support from co-patrons Sen. Janet Howell (D-Reston), and Sen. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Rights of blind parents. Provides that a blind parent's blindness, as defined in the bill, shall not be the sole basis of the denial or restriction of such parent's custody or visitation rights. The bill requires a party who alleges that a parent's blindness should be a factor to be considered to not be in the best interests of the child, or should otherwise be a reason to deny or restrict such a parent's custody or visitation rights, to prove by clear and convincing evidence that the child's best interests would not be met or served due to such parent's blindness. The bill allows a blind parent to demonstrate how supportive parenting services would appropriately address any threats to the child's best interests and further allows that such services be ordered by the court. The bill requires a court to make written findings where the court denies or restricts custody or visitation of a blind parent or where supportive parenting services are not ordered. The same requirements apply to the denial of approval of a blind prospective foster parent, or removal of a child from a blind foster parent's home, and to the denial of a final order of adoption wherein the prospective adoptive parent is blind. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/10/2017Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/17 17103085D
01/10/2017Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/16/2017Impact statement from DPB (SB1199)
02/01/2017Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (14-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
02/01/2017Committee substitute printed 17104405D-S1
02/03/2017Impact statement from DPB (SB1199S1)
02/03/2017Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/06/2017Read second time
02/06/2017Reading of substitute waived
02/06/2017Committee substitute agreed to 17104405D-S1
02/06/2017Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB1199S1
02/07/2017Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/09/2017Placed on Calendar
02/09/2017Read first time
02/09/2017Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
02/09/2017Assigned Courts sub: Civil Law
02/13/2017Subcommittee recommends laying on the table
02/21/2017Left in Courts of Justice

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 1 clip in all, totaling 1 minute.

Transcript

This is a transcript of the video clips in which this bill is discussed.

JAMES CITY COUNTY. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. HAVING VOTED ON THE PREVAILING SIDE BY WHICH WE DID NOT PASS SENATE BILL 938, I WOULD ASK THAT WE RECONSIDER THAT BILL.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): THANK YOU, SENATOR. THE QUESTION IS SHALL THE VOTE BY WHICH SENATE BILL 938 WAS NOT PASSED BE RECONSIDERED. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION WILL RECORD THEIR VOTES AYE, THOSE OPPOSED NO. ARE THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE? HAVE ALL THE SENATORS VOTED? DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CHANGE THEIR VOTE? THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL.

[Unknown]: AYES 40, NOS 0. AYES 40, NOS 0. THE MOTION IS AGREED TO. THE SENATOR FROM ROANOKE CITY, SENATOR EDWARDS.

Sen. John Edwards (D-Roanoke): MR. PRESIDENT, THE BILL HAVING BEEN EXPLAINED, THIS IS ONE FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE CITY OF ROANOKE TO GO TO AMPHITHEATERS, AND SO I WOULD URGE THE BODY TO SUPPORT THE CHILDREN.

[Unknown]: THANK YOU, SENATOR. THE SENATOR FROM JAMES CITY COUNTY, SENATOR NORMENT.

Sen. Tommy Norment (R-Williamsburg): THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THE COLLECTIVE WISDOM OF THE BODY THAT WAS ADD LEAST 21 OF THE MEMBERS VOTED TO NOT PASS THIS BILL AND I WOULD EXTEND AN INVITATION TO THE OTHER 19 OF YOU TO JOIN US IN DEFEATING THIS BILL AND THOSE WHO VOTED AGAINST IT ON THE FIRST OCCASION, I WOULD INVITE YOU TO SUSTAIN A CONSISTENT POSITION AND VOTE AGAINST SENATE BILL 938.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): THANK YOU, SENATOR.