VirginiaChildren; petitions for relief of care & custody, investigation by local dept. of social services.
What it does
Petitions for relief of care and custody of a child; investigation by local department of social services; Office of the Children's Ombudsman work group; report. Requires a local department of social services, as a part of its investigation after the referral of a request for a petition for relief of the care and custody of a child, to (i) refer the parent to the local family assessment and planning team and (ii) create a written report. The bill directs the Department of Social Services, in coordination with the Virginia League of Social Services Executives, to create a template for and provide guidance on what should be included in such written report.
More detail
The bill also directs the Office of the Children's Ombudsman to convene a work group composed of relevant stakeholders to (a) determine the factors a court should consider when determining whether there is good cause shown for a petitioner's desire to be relieved of the care and custody of a child and (b) explore the potential benefits and considerations of raising the standard of evidence for granting temporary relief of custody from the current standard of preponderance of the evidence to clear and convincing evidence. The bill directs the work group to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice and the Virginia Commission on Youth by November 1, 2025. Certain provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Commission on Youth. This bill is identical to SB 1372.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Mar 19Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0138)Latest
- Mar 19Approved by Governor Glenn Youngkin-Chapter 138 (Effective 01/01/26)Became Law
- Mar 3Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025To Governor
- Mar 3Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 3, 2025Minor
- Feb 20Signed by PresidentMajor
- Feb 18Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1733)
- Feb 17Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Feb 17Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1733ER)Major
- Feb 17EnrolledMinor
- Feb 12Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 12Read third timeMinor
- Feb 11Passed by for the day
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 11Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N)
- Feb 11Rules suspended
- Feb 10Reported from Courts of Justice (12-Y 0-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice (12-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 31Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Jan 31Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Jan 30Read third time and passed House (96-Y 0-N)Passed House
- Vote recorded Read third time and passed House (96-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 29Engrossed by House - committee substituteMajor
- Jan 29Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
- Jan 29Read second timeMinor
- Jan 28Read first timeMinor
- Jan 24Committee substitute printed 25105494D-H1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 24Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N)Minor
- Jan 21Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1733)
- Jan 20Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N)Major
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 17Assigned Courts sub: CivilMinor
- Jan 15Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1733)
- Jan 14Referred from Health and Human Services and referred to Courts of Justice (Voice Vote)Minor
- Jan 4Referred to Committee on Health and Human ServicesMinor
- Jan 4Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25103979DIntroduced