HB24 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Rolanda HollisRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2019

Title

Parental rights, blind individuals, blindness may not serve as a basis for denial or restriction of visitation or custody

Summary

HB24 says blindness cannot be used to deny or restrict a blind parent’s custody, visitation, adoption, or foster care placement if doing so is not in the child’s best interest.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, the bill ensures that a parent’s blindness cannot automatically block custody, visitation, adoption, or foster care when it is in the child’s best interests. It requires the party who argues that blindness harms a child to prove health, safety, or welfare problems and to show that there are no reasonable supportive parenting services to address those concerns. It also allows courts to require supportive parenting services and review whether they should continue.

Who It Affects

• Blind individuals who are parents or seeking to become parents (including adoptive or foster care applicants): their rights in custody, visitation, adoption, and guardianship processes would be protected from being denied solely because of blindness, with potential court-ordered supportive services if needed.
• Children involved in family, dependency, adoption, guardianship, or foster care cases: their best interests would be the primary factor, with protections ensuring blindness is not used as an automatic barrier to custody, visitation, or placement when other findings support the child’s best interests.

Key Provisions

• Defines blindness as central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correction, or a visual field limited to 20 degrees, and includes degenerative conditions likely to cause blindness.
• Defines Supportive Parenting Services as non-visual techniques and other methods to help a blind parent meet parental responsibilities effectively.
• Prohibits a parent's blindness from being a basis to deny or restrict visitation or custody in family or dependency cases when it is determined to be in the child’s best interest.
• Prohibits a prospective parent's blindness from being a basis to deny public or private adoption when adoption is in the child’s best interest, and from denial of foster care or guardianship when placement is in the child’s best interest.
• If a detrimental impact is alleged, the burden is on the accusing party to prove endangerment to health, safety, or welfare and that no reasonable supportive parenting services exist to alleviate concerns.
• Courts may require supportive parenting services and review the need for continuation after a reasonable period.
• Effective date: becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Parental Rights