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Bill would let relatives and caregivers present evidence in dependent-neglect hearings; county attorneys raise confidentiality concerns
Summary
Senate Bill 249 would require courts to accept evidence from people who have provided care or continuity for a child — for example, grandparents or nonparent caregivers — so those relationships can factor into dependent-neglect adjudications.
Senator Dennis Lenz opened the hearing on Senate Bill 249 on March 17, saying the bill would require courts to accept evidence about a child's care and the intent of parents when a child has been placed with or allowed to remain with another person. Lenz said the change would allow courts to hear from people who have provided continuity of care even when abandonment is not alleged.
Kyla Hailstone, a paralegal investigator and family law specialist, and Joseph Rafiani, an attorney and former assistant attorney general, testified in favor of the bill,…
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