The Senate Family and Children Committee heard SB 312 on Monday, January 27 about parents with a disability authored by Sen. Niezgodski. This bill provides the right of a person with a disability to parent the person’s child may not be denied or restricted solely because the person has a disability. The bill establishes procedures to be used in custody, parenting time, adoption, foster care, and guardianship proceedings when a parent, prospective parent, prospective foster parent, or prospective guardian is a person with a disability. The bill also requires DCS to implement disability awareness training and provides for expungement of information relating to the unlawful removal of a child from the home of a person with a disability.
Representatives from ARC of Indiana, the Indiana Statewide Independent Living Council, the Indiana Association of the Deaf, and a foster parent testified in support of the bill. The bill passed 8-0.
Read the bill at: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2020/bills/senate/312