H 4656
An Act to preserve family and sibling bonds for children in foster care
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Bill overview
This bill, titled the "Family Protection and Transparency Act," aims to strengthen the reunification of siblings and half-siblings in foster care. It requires the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to actively seek to place siblings together, provide frequent visitation, and ensure parents receive regular updates about investigations. The bill also introduces procedural safeguards for families during DCF investigations, including providing written summaries of allegations and ensuring parents understand their rights.
Key provisions
- Requires DCF to actively search for relatives to place children with siblings.
- Establishes a preference for placing siblings and half-siblings together in foster care.
- Mandates regular and frequent visitation between parents and children in DCF custody.
- Introduces ‘Miranda Rights for Families’ – a set of procedural safeguards for parents during DCF investigations.
- Requires DCF to provide written summaries of allegations to parents and guardians.
- Guarantees parents the right to legal representation and to remain silent during investigations.
- Establishes a rebuttable presumption in favor of parent-child visitation.
- Requires DCF to provide ongoing efforts to remedy separate placements of siblings.
Who is affected
- Children in foster care
- Siblings and half-siblings
- Parents and guardians of children in foster care
- Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF)
- Foster parents
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Families and Persons with Disabilities Joint Committee on Children
Cosponsors
Aaron L. Saunders
Carmine Lawrence Gentile
Colleen M. Garry
Francisco E. Paulino
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Bill H.4656 194th (Current)
An Act to preserve family and sibling bonds for children in foster care
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Bill Information
Bill Information
Sponsor: Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities Status: Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means
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Bill History Cosponsors Committee Vote Committee Summary
Bill History
Displaying 3 actions for Bill H.4656
| Date | Branch | Action |
| 10/29/2025 | House | Reported from the committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities |
| 10/29/2025 | House | New draft of H268, H269 and H270 |
| 10/29/2025 | House | Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means |
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