Connecticut SB 297: AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF PERFLUOROALKYL OR POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES IN CLASS B FIREFIGHTING FOAM.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 297
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 1956

Referred to Committee on JUDICIARY

Introduced by:
(JUD)

AN ACT CONCERNING COURT PROCEEDINGS INVOLVING A CHILD
OR YOUTH WHO IS ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN UNCARED FOR,
NEGLECTED OR ABUSED.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (j) of section 46b-129 of the 2026 supplement to 1
the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2
thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 3
(j) (1) For the purposes of this subsection and subsection (k) of this 4
section, (A) "permanent legal guardianship" means a permanent 5
guardianship, as defined in section 45a-604, (B) "caregiver" means (i) a 6
fictive kin caregiver, as defined in section 17a-114, who is caring for a 7
child, (ii) a relative caregiver, as defined in section 17a-126, who is caring 8
for a child, or (iii) a person who is licensed or approved to provide foster 9
care pursuant to section 17a-114, who is caring for a child, and (C) "trial 10
home visit" means the temporary placement of a child or youth 11
committed to the Commissioner of Children and Families in the home 12
of such child's or youth's parent or guardian. 13
(2) Upon finding and adjudging that any child or youth is uncared 14

Raised Bill No. 297

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for, neglected or abused the court may (A) commit such child or youth 15
to the Commissioner of Children and Families, and such commitment 16
shall remain in effect until further order of the court, except that such 17
commitment may be revoked or parental rights terminated at any time 18
by the court; (B) vest such child's or youth's legal guardianship in any 19
private or public agency that is permitted by law to care for neglected, 20
uncared for or abused children or youths or with any other person or 21
persons found to be suitable and worthy of such responsibility by the 22
court, including, but not limited to, any relative of such child or youth 23
by blood or marriage; (C) vest such child's or youth's permanent legal 24
guardianship in any person or persons found to be suitable and worthy 25
of such responsibility by the court, including, but not limited to, any 26
relative of such child or youth by blood or marriage in accordance with 27
the requirements set forth in subdivision (6) of this subsection; or (D) 28
place the child or youth in the custody of the parent or guardian with 29
protective supervision by the Commissioner of Children and Families 30
subject to conditions established by the court. Upon issuing any order 31
pursuant to this section, the court shall order specific steps that the 32
parent must take to facilitate the return of the child or youth to the 33
custody of such parent or to maintain the child or youth in the parent's 34
custody while under an order of protective supervision. 35
(3) If the court approves a permanency plan filed with the court that 36
recommends the reunification of the child or youth with such child's or 37
youth's parent or guardian, the Commissioner of Children and Families 38
may, with the agreement of all parties of record, authorize a trial home 39
visit prior to the revocation of the order of commitment pertaining to 40
such child or youth. The commissioner shall (A) provide the court and 41
all parties of record written notice of the commissioner's intent to 42
authorize any such trial home visit not later than fifteen days prior to 43
such authorization; (B) create a trial home visit plan that shall be 44
provided to all parties of record, and include, but need not be limited to, 45
announced and unannounced visits to the home by the department and 46
the provision of any services during such trial home visit that the 47

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commissioner determines are necessary to promote the child's or 48
youth's well-being; and (C) file a motion for revocation of commitment 49
not later than thirty days after the date such trial home visit commences, 50
unless the commissioner removes the child or youth from the home 51
prior to that time pursuant to its responsibility and authority over 52
children and youth committed to the care and custody of the 53
commissioner. A trial home visit authorized under this section shall 54
remain in effect until the commissioner removes such child or youth 55
pursuant to subparagraph (C) of this subdivision or the court grants a 56
motion for revocation of commitment filed pursuant to said 57
subparagraph. 58
(4) If the court determines that the commitment should be revoked 59
and the child's or youth's legal guardianship or permanent legal 60
guardianship should vest in someone other than the respondent parent, 61
parents or former guardian, or if parental rights are terminated at any 62
time, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that an award of legal 63
guardianship or permanent legal guardianship upon revocation to, or 64
adoption