An act relating to parental rights and responsibilities

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Terry Williams

Defines and clarifies parental rights, responsibilities, and decision-making authority for minors, including custody, access to information, and major-life decisions.

Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Judiciary

Summary of Bill S. 304 ( Vermont, 2025-2026)

Purpose and intent

S. 304 is an act relating to parental rights and responsibilities. The bill appears to address the legal framework governing parental authority, duties, and the rights of parents in relation to their children, with potential implications for family law proceedings and child welfare considerations. The sponsor list includes a co-sponsor: Terry Williams.

Key provisions and changes (as described by the bill title and typical content for this subject)

The bill would define and clarify parental rights, responsibilities, and decision-making authority in matters involving minor children. This often includes areas such as:

Custody, visitation, and parenting time in the context of separation or divorce.
Obligations to provide child support and to participate in upbringing and welfare decisions.
Standards for accessing and obtaining information about a child (e.g., medical, educational records) by both parents.

Potential modifications to standards used by courts when determining parental arrangements, including considerations of the best interests of the child.

Provisions may address procedures for parental notification, consent requirements for major decisions (education, health care, religious upbringing), and mechanisms to resolve disputes between parents.

The bill could include definitions of “parent” or “guardian” for purposes of the statute and may specify who has standing in family court for various actions.

Who would be affected

Minor children and their families, particularly:

Parents and guardians seeking formal recognition of parental rights and responsibilities.
Parents undergoing separation, divorce, or custody disputes.
State courts handling family law, child welfare, or protective proceedings.
Agencies and professionals involved in child welfare, education, healthcare, and mediation/alternative dispute resolution.

The act may also impact custody schedules, visitation rights, and financial obligations related to child support.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Action history: The bill was read a 1st time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary on January 23, 2026.

As introduced, the bill would proceed through committee analysis, potential amendments, and subsequent floor votes. Pending committee recommendations, the bill may advance to further readings, potential fiscal notes, and, if approved, to the full chamber for consideration.

If enacted, the provisions would become effective on dates specified within the bill (commencement and transition provisions are common in such legislation), which may include delayed effective dates for certain sections.

Notes and considerations

The summary reflects typical elements of legislation titled “An act relating to parental rights and responsibilities.” The precise language of S. 304 would determine exact definitions, duties, remedies, and any changes to current Vermont law.

The current publicly available information includes only the title, sponsor, action history (read 1st time and referred to Judiciary), and co-sponsor. For a precise, line-by-line understanding, review the bill text, any fiscal notes, and Vermont Judiciary Committee analysis once released.

If you’d like, I can adjust the summary once the full bill text and any committee analysis become available, to highlight specific sections, definitions, and procedural steps.