HB24 Alabama 2019 Session

Existing law does not especially provide protection for blind individuals in regard to custody and visitation, adoption, guardianship, and foster care proceedings involving children

This bill would provide that the blindness of individuals may not serve as a basis for denial or restriction of visitation or custody in family or dependency law cases, adoption or denial of foster care when the visitation, custody, adoption, or placement in foster care is determined to be otherwise in the best interest of the child

This bill would provide that a person who alleges that an individual's blindness would have a detrimental impact on a child, the person raising the allegation bears the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that the blindness of the individual is endangering or will likely endanger the health, safety, or welfare of the child

This bill would allow an individual who is the subject of an allegation that his or her blindness is endangering or will likely endanger the health, safety, or welfare of the child to rebut the allegations

This bill would also require a court that determines that a blind parent's right to custody, visitation, foster care, guardianship, or adoption should be denied or limited in any manner, to make specific written findings stating the basis for a determination and why the provision of supportive parenting services is not a reasonable accommodation that must be made to prevent the denial or limitation

Relating to blind individuals; to provide that the blindness of an individual may not serve as a basis for denial or restriction of visitation or custody in family or dependency law cases, adoption or denial of foster care when the visitation, custody, adoption, or placement in foster care is determined to be otherwise in the best interest of the child; to provide that a person who alleges that the individual's blindness would have a detrimental impact on a child, the person raising the allegation bears the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that the blindness of the individual is endangering or will likely endanger the health, safety, or welfare of the child; to allow an individual who is the subject of an allegation that his or her blindness is endangering or will likely endanger the health, safety, or welfare of the child to rebut the allegations; and to require a court to make certain finding if a blind parent's right to custody, visitation, foster care, guardianship, or adoption is denied or limited in any manner.