Bill > H1601

This bill prohibits discrimination against adults with disabilities in family and juvenile court proceedings. The key provisions include: 1. Defining "adaptive parenting equipment" and "supportive parenting services" to help parents with disabilities care for their children. 2. Stating that a parent's disability or its manifestations cannot be considered a negative factor in custody, parenting time, or termination of parental rights decisions, unless there is a specific showing of harm to the child that cannot be alleviated by accommodations. 3. Requiring courts to make specific written findings if they do consider a parent's disability or its manifestations as a negative factor in these decisions. 4. Applying these protections across various family and juvenile court proceedings, including care and protection cases, guardianship appointments, and termination of parental rights. The overall intent of the bill is to ensure that parents with disabilities are not unfairly disadvantaged in family and juvenile court proceedings, and that accommodations are provided to enable them to retain their parental rights and responsibilities.

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https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H1601