Committee advances several bills on courts, paternity, foster care and child‑maltreatment

The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced several bills in addition to the measures reported earlier.

SB 373 — Sponsor Senator Caldwell: The committee passed a bill creating an additional district in the district courts in Arkansas County; the Administrative Office of the Courts was represented by Ben Barham and the item drew brief committee support and a voice vote to pass.

SB 312 — Sponsor Senator Clark: The committee adopted an amendment (presented by Barbara Williams, Office of Child Support Enforcement) clarifying that paternity issues arising from dependency/neglect proceedings may be handled in separate child‑support pleadings after the dependency case closes. Attorney Clint Lancaster and committee members discussed extending when an adult can bring a paternity action, DNA‑match thresholds (a 95% threshold in the bill and questions about typical 99.9% lab confidence), and the definition of 'presumed mother.' Sponsors and agency staff said the bill clarifies practice while preserving existing custody rules; the committee passed the bill as amended.

SB 346 — Sponsor Representative Duffield / Kristen Harper (DCFS): The committee approved changes to expand subsidized guardianship eligibility for youth not eligible for federal subsidies, to waive a six‑month placement requirement for some state subsidies, and to provide earlier full board payments to relatives and fictive kin; DCFS said this section is cost‑neutral relative to current state payments and does not change child‑support rules.

SB 347 — Sponsor: DCFS (Kristen Harper): The committee passed a bill to narrow certain hotline and screening thresholds for child‑maltreatment reports, clarify that children 11 and younger with physical evidence are presumed not to have consented, broaden the definition of grooming to include virtual conduct, allow DCFS to notify schools under limited conditions, and add a 'serious bodily injury' requirement to the definition of failure to protect. DCFS said the measure aims to limit unnecessary agency involvement while preserving safety screening for genuine threats.

Ending: Each bill passed the committee on voice votes; specifics of enactment, funding, or effective dates will be determined as the bills move through the legislative process.