VirginiaSB13722025 Regular SessionSenate

Children; petitions for relief of care & custody, investigation by local dept. of social services.

Sponsored By: David R. Suetterlein (Republican)

To Governor

Summary

Petitions for relief of care and custody of a child; investigation by local department of social services; Office of the Children's Ombudsman work group; report. Requires a local department of social services, as a part of its investigation after the referral of a request for a petition for relief of the care and custody of a child, to (i) refer the parent to the local family assessment and planning team and (ii) create a written report. The bill directs the Department of Social Services, in coordination with the Virginia League of Social Services Executives, to create a template for and provide guidance on what should be included in such written report.The bill also directs the Office of the Children's Ombudsman to convene a work group composed of relevant stakeholders to (a) determine the factors a court should consider when determining whether there is good cause shown for a petitioner's desire to be relieved of the care and custody of a child and (b) explore the potential benefits and considerations of raising the standard of evidence for granting temporary relief of custody from the current standard of preponderance of the evidence to clear and convincing evidence. The bill directs the work group to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice and the Virginia Commission on Youth by November 1, 2025. Certain provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Commission on Youth. This bill is identical to HB 1733.

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Bill Overview

No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • David R. Suetterlein

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 221 • No: 0

House vote • 2/10/2025

Passed House Block Vote

Yes: 95 • No: 0

House vote • 2/5/2025

Reported from Courts of Justice

Yes: 22 • No: 0

Senate vote • 1/29/2025

Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote

Yes: 38 • No: 0

Senate vote • 1/27/2025

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading)

Yes: 36 • No: 0

Senate vote • 1/24/2025

Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute

Yes: 15 • No: 0

Senate vote • 1/17/2025

Rereferred from Rules to Rehabilitation and Social Services

Yes: 15 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0155)

    3/19/2025Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 155 (Effective 07/01/25)

    3/19/2025Governor
  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025

    2/18/2025Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on February 18, 2025

    2/18/2025Senate
  5. Signed by President

    2/13/2025Senate
  6. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1372)

    2/11/2025Senate
  7. Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1372ER)

    2/11/2025Senate
  8. Enrolled

    2/11/2025Senate
  9. Signed by Speaker

    2/11/2025House
  10. Passed House Block Vote (95-Y 0-N)

    2/10/2025House
  11. Read third time

    2/10/2025House
  12. Read second time

    2/7/2025House
  13. Reported from Courts of Justice (22-Y 0-N)

    2/5/2025House
  14. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

    2/5/2025House
  15. Read first time

    2/5/2025House
  16. Placed on Calendar

    2/5/2025House
  17. Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N)

    1/29/2025Senate
  18. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1372)

    1/28/2025Senate
  19. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

    1/28/2025Senate
  20. Rehabilitation and Social Services Substitute agreed to

    1/28/2025Senate
  21. Reading of substitute waived

    1/28/2025Senate
  22. Read second time

    1/28/2025Senate
  23. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (36-Y 0-N)

    1/27/2025Senate
  24. Passed by for the day

    1/27/2025Senate
  25. Rules suspended

    1/27/2025Senate

Bill Text

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