An Act to amend and reenact §§ 63.2-901.1, 63.2-1721, and 63.2-1722 of the Code of Virginia, relating to foster and adoptive homes; barrier crimes; exceptions.
HB1060 amends Virginia law governing foster and adoptive placements by revising criminal background check and child abuse registry requirements for prospective foster and adoptive homes. The bill updates § 63.2-901.1 to require local boards and licensed child-placing agencies to obtain criminal history record information and child abuse/neglect registry searches for individuals being considered for child placement, including adult household members, and to use both Virginia and out-of-state registry information where applicable. It also preserves procedures for emergency placements, fingerprinting, sworn disclosures, and notice of the right to review and challenge background check results.
The bill further amends §§ 63.2-1721 and 63.2-1722, which govern foster and adoptive home approvals and related disqualifications, to refine the treatment of barrier crimes and exceptions. In practical terms, the legislation is aimed at strengthening child safety screening while clarifying when certain criminal histories or registry findings may bar approval and when exceptions may be available. The text indicates that the law continues to focus on ensuring that adults in a child’s placement home meet standards related to the safety and well-being of children.
HB1060 affects the Code of Virginia provisions that govern foster care and adoptive home approvals, background investigations, and disqualification based on barrier crimes or founded abuse/neglect findings. It expands and clarifies the screening process for prospective placements, including checks of adult household members and out-of-state child abuse registries, and reinforces the role of criminal history and registry information in placement decisions. The bill primarily impacts local boards, licensed child-placing agencies, prospective foster and adoptive parents, and other adults living in the home.
The available record suggests a generally supportive, child-safety-oriented posture toward the bill, consistent with its enactment as Chapter 726. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes in the provided material, there is no evidence of organized opposition or detailed debate in the record supplied. The bill’s final approval indicates that it was acceptable to the legislature as a measure to strengthen placement screening and protect children in foster and adoptive settings.
The main policy tension in a bill like HB1060 is between protecting children through broad background screening and avoiding unnecessary barriers for families seeking to foster or adopt. Potential points of contention include the scope of criminal and registry checks, the treatment of adult household members, the use of out-of-state registry information, and how barrier-crime rules and exceptions are applied in practice. No specific objections or sponsors of concern are identified in the provided transcripts or vote history, so any contention is inferred from the subject matter rather than documented debate.