Custody and visitation; rights of parents with a disability. (SB70)

Introduced By

Sen. Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) with support from co-patron Del. Kaye Kory (D-Falls Church)

Progress

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

Description

Rights of parents with a disability. Provides that a parent's disability, 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 disability 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 that the child's best interests would not be met or served due to such parent's disability. The bill allows a parent with a disability to demonstrate how supportive parenting services would appropriately address any threats to the child's best interests and further allows the court to order 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 parent with a disability or where supportive parenting services are not ordered. The same requirements apply to the denial or approval of a prospective foster parent with a disability, or removal of a child from the home of a foster parent with a disability, and to the denial of a final order of adoption wherein the prospective adoptive parent has a disability. Read the Bill »

Status

11/30/2017: Awaiting a Vote in the Courts of Justice Committee

History

DateAction
11/30/2017Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18101471D
11/30/2017Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/17/2018Impact statement from DPB (SB70)
01/22/2018Stricken at the request of Patron in Courts of Justice (14-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)

Duplicate Bills

The following bills are identical to this one: HB491 and HB515.