RELATING TO DELINQUENT AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN -- PROCEEDINGS IN, FAMILY COURT
Summary
H7036 amends Rhode Island General Laws § 14-1-59, which governs cooperation of public and private agencies in Family Court proceedings involving delinquent and dependent children. The bill adds every school district to the list of state, town, and municipal entities that must provide assistance and cooperation within their jurisdictional power to further the purposes of the chapter.
Under the bill, school districts would be required to help the Family Court by providing any information about a child that the court requests, consistent with their authority and responsibilities. The existing statute already directs other public agencies, including DCYF, the Department of Health, DHS, the Department of Education, and behavioral health agencies, to cooperate with the court; H7036 extends that same obligation explicitly to school districts.
Impact
The bill would expand the statutory duty of cooperation in Family Court child welfare and delinquency matters by expressly naming school districts as required participants. In practical terms, it would strengthen the court’s access to school-related information relevant to a child’s case and would place school districts under a clear legal obligation to assist within their jurisdictional power. The act takes effect upon passage and would directly affect school districts, Family Court, and agencies involved in child protection and juvenile proceedings.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong support for the bill. It passed the House Committee on Judiciary unanimously, 15-0, and later passed the House unanimously, 65-0. No committee transcript is available, but the recorded votes indicate broad agreement that the measure is a routine cooperation and information-sharing amendment rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
No notable opposition is reflected in the available materials. The bill appears narrowly focused on clarifying and expanding interagency cooperation, with the main practical issue being the extent to which school districts must provide child-related information to the court. Any concerns would likely center on student privacy, administrative burden, or the scope of information-sharing authority, but none are documented in the provided discussion or votes.
Amends §§ 14-1-3 and 14-5-8, relating to possession of marijuana and proceedings in family court ensuring that children under 17 years of age in possession of less than 2 oz of marijuana are subject to the jurisdiction of the family court.
Amends §§ 14-1-3 and 14-5-8, relating to possession of marijuana and proceedings in family court ensuring that children under 17 years of age in possession of less than 2 oz of marijuana are subject to the jurisdiction of the family court.
Grants Rhode Island's family court jurisdiction to make findings for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status petitions, including determinations about dependency, parental reunification, and the child’s best interest, for minors under twenty-one (21) years.
Grants the family court jurisdiction to make findings for special immigrant juvenile status petitions, including determinations about dependency, parental reunification, and the child’s best interest, for minors/petitioners under 21 years of age.
Permits, effective 7/1/25, the family court to make appropriate orders of support and education of any child who has attained 18 years of age, but not 21, who is domiciled in the home of a parent, and is principally dependent upon said parent for support.
Requires the school district of a child in the custody of the department of children, youth and families (DCYF) to pay all the educational cost of the child if the child is place in another school district.
Establishes Children's Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund to provide finance assistance to families for medical expenses not covered by state or federal programs or insurance contract.