SESSION WATCH
Died HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. HB 499

Dependent Children
Send via email
SPONSOR
Alvarez, J.
FILED BY
Jose Alvarez — District 46, Democrat [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Human Services Subcommittee

Filed under Criminal Justice.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Dependent Children; Provides additional situations in which rebuttable presumption of detriment is created; requires certain guardians ad litem & attorneys ad litem to have special training in parricide; requires certain persons to provide to court & certain agencies & persons access to certain records of child; requires visitation or other contact to be supervised by person who has special training in parricide; requires court to refer certain children to specified trauma-informed therapeutic services; provides additional reasons law enforcement officer or authorized agent of DCF can take child into custody; requires hearing before placing certain children in shelter.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Mandates hearings and trauma services for children in parricide cases.

The bill creates a rebuttable presumption of detriment when a parent is arrested for parricide or attempted parricide against the other parent. This presumption triggers mandatory supervised visitation and specific legal protections for the child.

Courts must refer these children to trauma-informed therapeutic services. Guardians ad litem and attorneys must have special training in the dynamics of parricide to represent the child during these proceedings.

Law enforcement may take a child into custody if a parent is arrested for parricide. A hearing is required before placing the child in a shelter in these specific circumstances.

The bill requires parents to provide access to the child's medical and educational records to the court and child welfare agencies if they are involved in a parricide case.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Mandatory Trauma-Informed Therapy Referral majors. 39.0139(6)(a)

AICourts must refer children to trauma-informed therapeutic services once a presumption of detriment is established.

“the court shall refer the child to one of the following trauma-informed therapeutic services” bill text, line 161 →
§ 2 Mandatory Access to Child Records majors. 39.0139(4)(c)

AICourts must order parents to provide access to the child's medical, child care, and educational records if they withhold consent.

“the court must issue an order granting access to the necessary records” bill text, line 129 →
§ 3 Shelter Placement Hearing Requirement majors. 39.402(2)

AIChildren cannot be placed in a shelter without a hearing if a parent is arrested for parricide or incapacitated.

“a child may not be placed in a shelter without a hearing” bill text, line 200 →
§ 4 Expanded Custody Grounds majors. 39.401(1)(3)

AILaw enforcement may take a child into custody if a parent is arrested for parricide or incapacitated.

“That the parent or legal custodian of the child has been arrested for any offense under s. 782.04” bill text, line 183 →
§ 5 Parricide Training for Legal Representatives moderates. 39.0139(4)(a)

AIGuardians and attorneys ad litem must have special training in the dynamics of parricide.

“must have special training in the dynamics of child sexual abuse and parricide” bill text, line 109 →
§ 6 Supervised Visitation Training moderates. 39.0139(5)(a)

AIVisitation must be supervised by a person with special training in the dynamics of parricide.

“Supervised by a person who has previously received special training in the dynamics of child sexual abuse and parricide” bill text, line 145 →
§ 7 Expanded Presumption of Detriment moderates. 39.0139(3)(a)

AIA rebuttable presumption of detriment is created if a parent is arrested for parricide or incapacitated.

“A parent or legal custodian of a child has been arrested for any offense under s. 782.04” bill text, line 90 →
§ 8 Incapacitated Parent Definition moderates. 39.01(39)

AIDefines an incapacitated parent as one found unable to care for a child due to physical or mental incapacity.

“found by a licensed physician or other qualified professional to be unable to care for his or her child” bill text, line 41 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Human Services Subcommittee
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
11/24/2025
Now in Human Services Subcommittee
11/24/2025
Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
11/24/2025
Referred to Justice Budget Subcommittee
11/24/2025
Referred to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee
11/24/2025
Referred to Human Services Subcommittee
11/19/2025
Filed
2 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 39.01
+8 / −0
s. 39.01
+71 / −3
s. 39.0139
+281 / −4
s. 39.401
+90 / −0
s. 39.402
+128 / −8
s. 39.302
+4 / −4