Bill Text: CT SB00324 | 2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: An Act Concerning A Parents' Bill Of Rights.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-03-02 - Public Hearing 03/06 [SB00324 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2018-SB00324-Introduced.html

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General Assembly		Raised Bill No. 324
February Session, 2018		LCO No. 1537
		*01537_______KID*
Referred to Committee on COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN
Introduced by:
(KID)

AN ACT CONCERNING A PARENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2018) (a) For purposes of this section, "parent" means a person who is the biological or adoptive parent of a child placed in the care or custody of the Commissioner of Children and Families pursuant to an order of temporary custody or commitment.

(b) Not later than January 1, 2019, the Commissioner of Children and Families shall establish a parents' bill of rights. Such bill of rights shall include, but not be limited to, the right to (1) be treated fairly and respectfully by employees of the Department of Children and Families, (2) be provided the opportunity to be heard regarding decisions made pertaining to such parent's child when appropriate and practicable, (3) be provided with open, complete and timely responses to questions or requests for information relevant to such child or such child's case when appropriate and practicable, and (4) be provided with information on department policies and procedures that relate to such parent or child.

(c) The rights accorded parents pursuant to such bill of rights shall be available only insofar as they are implemented in accordance with the policies of the Department of Children and Families, the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, other parts of the general statutes, federal law, the Constitution of the state and the Constitution of the United States. This section does not create a cause of action for a parent.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	July 1, 2018	New section

Statement of Purpose:

To require the Commissioner of Children and Families to establish a parents' bill of rights for biological and adoptive parents whose children are placed in out-of-home placements by the Department of Children and Families.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]