Bill
LC 495
Broad rewrite of child protective services laws proposed; draft died in process, so no changes enacted; could be reintroduced later.
Overview
- Bill number: LC 495
- Title: General revise child protective service laws
- Subject: Family Law; Minors
- Status: Draft; Died in Process
- Introduced: October 4, 2024
- Legislative actions:
- 2024-10-04: Drafter Assigned
- 2024-10-25: Draft On Hold (two entries)
- 2025-05-22: Draft Died in Process
What this bill is (based on the title and metadata)
- Purpose and intent: The bill appears to be a broad, system-wide revision of laws governing child protective services (CPS). The goal of such a “general revise” measure would typically be to update, clarify, or reorganize the statutory framework governing how child protection matters are handled, including interactions among CPS, families, courts, and service providers.
- Scope: The bill is categorized under Family Law and Minors, suggesting changes related to the protection, rights, and welfare of children and the processes used to address allegations of abuse or neglect.
What is known about specific provisions
- Text not provided: The actual statutory language is not included in the available information, so specific provisions, changes, or new requirements cannot be listed here.
- Likely areas such revisions commonly touch (illustrative, not confirmed for this bill):
- Definitions related to child welfare, neglect, abuse, and reporting thresholds
- Procedures for investigation, assessment, and timelines for CPS actions
- Standards for removal from the home, foster care placement, and permanency planning
- Rights of parents, guardians, and children, including access to counsel and notification requirements
- Confidentiality, information sharing, and records access
- Interagency coordination among CPS, law enforcement, and courts
- Oversight, accountability, and reporting (e.g., audits, performance metrics)
- Funding, staffing, and training for CPS and related entities
Who could be affected
- Children and youths in CPS involvement
- Birth families and guardians
- Foster care and adoptive families
- CPS caseworkers, social service professionals, and supervisors
- Law enforcement partners and prosecutors
- Juvenile and family court systems
- Guardians ad litem, attorneys for parents/children, and court-appointed specialists
Procedural and timeline considerations
- Status indicates the draft was assigned, then placed on hold, and ultimately listed as “Died in Process,” with the latest action in May 2025.
- Implications: As a dead-in-process draft, the bill did not advance in its current form. There is no enacted policy change from this version, but a future reintroduction under a new number or text could revisit similar reform ideas.
Next steps and how to monitor
- If you are tracking child welfare reform, monitor for:
- Reintroduction of similar language under a new bill number
- Official bill texts and fiscal notes released by the legislative body
- Committee hearings or author statements clarifying intended reforms
- For impacted parties, stay informed about any reintroduction to understand potential changes to CPS processes, child safety procedures, and parental rights.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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