CS/CS/HB 505 Summary

• Establishes new purpose for dependency law to ensure children have relationships with both parents and engage unmarried biological fathers to the fullest extent in their children's lives.

• Defines "unmarried biological father" and requires courts to conduct sworn inquiries about the child's legal father identity at shelter and termination hearings, including searches of the Florida Putative Father Registry.

• Requires personal service of dependency and termination of parental rights petitions on identified unmarried biological fathers, with 30-day deadline to file paternity claims, establish parental rights, file verified court responses, pay child support, and seek substantial relationships with the child.

• Allows prospective parents to establish parentage through sworn affidavits during dependency proceedings, with provisions for voluntary scientific testing and presumptions based on 95 percent statistical probability of paternity.

• Limits preservice and inservice training requirements for prospective adoptive parents to those adopting children from the Department of Children and Families, effective October 1, 2018.