New York Law Would Allow Parents to Stay in Touch with Kids After Losing Legal Rights

The Imprint

Legislation again passed by New York lawmakers would allow some people who have lost parental rights to contact their children in the future — even when kids have been adopted into other families.

Under the Preserving Family Bonds Act, S6720, such contact would have to be approved by a judge and determined to be in the child’s “best interest.” 

Similar versions of the bill have been vetoed by two governors in recent years. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) rejected last year’s version of the bill, because she said it didn’t offer adoptive parents “full rights” or “finality” in the creation of their new families.