Child welfare agents in New York may soon have to tell parents their rights before attempting a home search. However, while this parental rights legislation has passed with broad support in the New York State Assembly, New York City's child welfare agency has been lobbying to weaken it.
Over the past several months, at least one other statehouse has been advancing legislation designed to curb the power of child welfare agents to coerce in-home searches. Just last month, the Texas Legislature passed sweeping legislation which requires child welfare agents to inform parents of their rights, including the right to deny a warrantless home search, when the agency begins an investigation of abuse or neglect against a family.
