Relates to requiring orders of custody to state whether law enforcement is authorized to remove a child or children

• Democratic1

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why the sponsor says this is needed

Recently, a horrific tragedy occurred in Westchester County when a two year old child was killed, allegedly murdered by her mother. The night before the toddler's death, police officers had arrived at the mother's residence with an order changing custody of the child from the mother to the father, but the order was written. in such a way that the police did not believe that they could forcibly remove the child from the home. When the mother refused to give the child to police, child services were called, and other law enforcement agencies. By the next morning, the child was dead. This bill seeks to avoid this terrible tragedy from being repeated by inserting language into the existing law-that requires family court judges to specify how police should act in carrying out any orders and judgments changing custody, whether temporary or permanent. Any order that changes custody, either temporary or permanent, must clarify wheth- er law enforcement-is authorized to take the child. The purpose is to provide clarity to law enforcement in these difficult situations, so that both the police and the litigants know what the police may or may not do.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.