Bill > A09613

This bill, known as the "family protection act," aims to safeguard family relationships by ensuring that parental ties are not severed unnecessarily or against a child's best interests. It modifies existing laws, including the Family Court Act and the Social Services Law, to achieve this goal. Key provisions include removing a clause that allowed for the termination of parental rights solely because a sibling's rights were terminated, and instead requiring courts to consider if reunification is possible and in the child's best interest. The bill also expands the grounds for terminating parental rights to include abandonment and parental mental illness or intellectual disability, while clarifying the procedures and evidence needed for such terminations. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of maintaining a child's connections to their family and community, even when they cannot return home, and mandates that courts consider less drastic alternatives to termination of parental rights. The bill also introduces provisions for kinship guardianship assistance and strengthens requirements for agencies to make diligent efforts to support and strengthen parental relationships, including facilitating visitation and providing necessary services, especially for incarcerated parents or those with limited resources. Finally, it gives foster parents who have cared for a child for at least twelve months preference in adoption applications over non-relatives.

Justice

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A9613