This bill proposes to amend current statutes regarding the definition of child neglect. Under the existing law, neglect is defined as the inability or unwillingness of a parent, guardian, or custodian to provide a child with necessary care, which must cause substantial risk of harm to the child's health or welfare. The bill would modify this definition to specify that the inability or unwillingness must present an imminent risk of serious harm instead. Additionally, it introduces a new provision that excludes from the definition of neglect situations where a parent or guardian cannot provide for a child's basic needs solely due to a lack of available financial resources.

Furthermore, the bill clarifies that the inability to provide care for a child with a disability or chronic illness is not considered neglect if it results from the unavailability of reasonable services. This change aims to ensure that parents are not penalized for financial hardships that prevent them from meeting their children's needs, thereby updating the legal framework to better reflect the realities faced by families in financial distress.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 8-201