Bill > AB1201

This bill amends California law regarding family reunification services in child welfare cases, specifically focusing on situations involving parents with a violent felony conviction. The bill aims to create a more nuanced approach to determining whether reunification services should be denied. Under the new provisions, a parent's violent felony conviction within the past five years does not automatically disqualify them from receiving reunification services. Instead, the court must find, by a preponderance of evidence, specific circumstances such as the parent personally using force during the crime, the child being a victim, or evidence suggesting that reunification services would endanger the child. The bill requires the court to order reunification services unless it finds that such services are not in the child's best interest or the parent is disqualified for other reasons. The legislation also introduces requirements for individualized assessments and trauma-informed evaluations to ensure a more comprehensive and equitable approach to determining family reunification. The bill will be implemented in counties with populations over 500,000 starting January 1, 2026, and in all remaining counties starting January 1, 2027, with the goal of reducing trauma and promoting family reunification when possible.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1201