S 719 New Jersey Senate · 2024-2025 Regular Session

Clarifies rights of parents with disabilities in child protective proceedings.

This bill ensures courts cannot automatically consider a parent's or guardian's disability as a reason to remove a child, terminate parental rights, or deny custody. It requires the Division of Child Protection to prove, with clear and convincing evidence, that the disability directly causes harm to the child and that harm cannot be prevented through accommodations like adaptive equipment or supportive parenting services (e.g., specialized training, sign language interpreters). The law applies to all key child protective proceedings, including abuse/neglect determinations, removal orders, and guardianship decisions. Parents with disabilities must be offered these supportive services instead of facing automatic negative judgments based solely on their disability.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2024
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 9, 2024 Last action Jan 9, 2024
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Jan 9, 2024
Introduced
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
upper
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

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