Bill > HB1836

This bill requires guardians ad litem (legal representatives appointed to advocate for a child's best interests in court proceedings) to have mandatory, private conversations with children they represent before each court hearing. The conversations must be conducted in a private room and last at least fifteen minutes. The bill amends four different chapters of Missouri state law (210, 211, 452, and 453) to establish this requirement across various types of legal proceedings involving children, including child welfare cases, juvenile justice proceedings, custody and visitation disputes, and adoption cases. By mandating these conversations, the bill aims to ensure that guardians ad litem directly engage with the children they represent, allowing them to better understand the child's perspective, needs, and circumstances before representing the child's interests in court.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1836&year=2026&code=R