AK HB129

Amends AS 47.10.011 to add a new criterion (13) for determining when a child is in need of aid, specifically when a parent, guardian, or custodian has secluded, restrained, or placed a child in a cage resulting in substantial risk of physical harm or mental injury to the child.

Maintains existing criteria for child-in-need-of-aid determinations including abandonment, incarceration, neglect, physical harm, sexual abuse, mental injury, substance abuse, and mental illness of caretakers.

Requires courts to find child-in-need-of-aid status by a preponderance of the evidence under AS 47.10.019.

Establishes that if a parent, guardian, or custodian allows a child to be left with a convicted sex offender or registered sex offender, this constitutes prima facie evidence of substantial risk of sexual abuse.

Provides that resumption of intoxicant use by a parent, guardian, or custodian within one year after rehabilitation constitutes prima facie evidence of substantially impaired parenting ability and substantial risk of harm to the child.