House Bill No. 653 Summary

• Amends Section 16-1633, Idaho Code, to revise the duties of a guardian ad litem in child protective cases.

• Requires guardians ad litem to file written reports prior to adjudicatory, review, or permanency hearings that include the child's express wishes regarding permanency and transition from foster care to independent living when applicable.

• Clarifies that pre-adjudicatory reports shall not be admitted into evidence at the adjudicatory hearing and may only be used by the court for disposition purposes.

• Removes the previous duty requiring guardians ad litem to meet with parents having joint legal or physical custody and instead adds this as a separate duty with provisions allowing them to file an affidavit if no meeting occurs.

• Makes technical corrections by renumbering the confidentiality and miscellaneous duties provisions from sections (7) and (8) to sections (5) and (6).