Bill
Bill > H1370
MA H1370
MA H1370Prohibiting discrimination against adults with disabilities in family and juvenile court proceedings
summary
Introduced
01/20/2015
01/20/2015
In Committee
01/20/2015
01/20/2015
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
07/31/2016
07/31/2016
Introduced Session
189th General Court
Bill Summary
Relative to prohibiting discrimination against adults with disabilities in family and juvenile court proceedings. The Judiciary.
AI Summary
This bill aims to prevent discrimination against adults with disabilities in family and juvenile court proceedings by establishing clear definitions and protections. It defines "adaptive parenting equipment" as any item that helps a parent with a disability improve their parenting capabilities, and "supportive parenting services" as assistance designed to help parents with disabilities manage aspects of their condition that affect childcare, including specialized training, evaluations, and accommodations like braille text or sign language interpreters. The bill mandates that a parent's disability cannot be considered a negative factor in decisions about child custody, visitation, termination of parental rights, or the appointment of a guardian unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the disability directly causes harm to the child that cannot be resolved through accommodations like adaptive equipment or supportive services. If a court does consider a disability as a negative factor, it must provide specific written findings detailing the link between the disability and harm to the child, the impact on parental fitness, and whether accommodations could mitigate the harm. This legislation seeks to ensure that parents with disabilities are not unfairly disadvantaged in legal proceedings concerning their children.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (49)
Paul Heroux (D)*,
Jim Arciero (D),
Bruce Ayers (D),
Ruth Balser (D),
Christine Barber (D),
Michael Brady (D),
Paul Brodeur (D),
Thomas Calter (D),
Gailanne Cariddi (D),
Tackey Chan (D),
Mark Cusack (D),
Marjorie Decker (D),
Sal DiDomenico (D),
James Dwyer (D),
Carolyn Dykema (D),
Jamie Eldridge (D),
Ryan Fattman (R),
Sean Garballey (D),
Colleen Garry (D),
Anne Gobi (D),
Ken Gordon (D),
Brian Joyce (D),
Louis Kafka (D),
Mary Keefe (D),
Kay Khan (D),
Kevin Kuros (R),
Barbara L'Italien (D),
Jason Lewis (D),
Jay Livingstone (D),
Brian Mannal (D),
Christopher Markey (D),
Joe McGonagle (D),
Joe McKenna (R),
Paul McMurtry (D),
Mike Moran (D),
James Murphy (D),
Jim O'Day (D),
Denise Provost (D),
Dave Rogers (D),
Tom Sannicandro (D),
Todd Smola (R),
Tom Stanley (D),
Ellen Story (D),
Benjamin Swan (D),
Timothy Toomey (D),
Steve Ultrino (D),
Aaron Vega (D),
Chris Walsh (D),
Jon Zlotnik (D),
Last Action
Accompanied a study order, see H4624 (on 09/22/2016)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H1370 |
| State Bill Page | https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/H1370 |
| Bill | https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/H1370.pdf |
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