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IN SB0218

Bill

Status

Introduced

1/3/2018

Primary Sponsor

Erin Houchin

Click for details

Origin

Senate

2018 Regular Session

AI Summary

  • Court may waive reasonable efforts to reunify a child with parent, guardian, or custodian if they failed to maintain consistent and meaningful contact with the child over at least the most recent 12 months.

  • Adds two new grounds for filing a petition to terminate parental rights: (1) parent failed to maintain consistent and meaningful contact with child over at least 12 months, or (2) parent abandoned child for at least 6 months before filing the petition.

  • Person filing a petition for termination of parental rights must request a hearing at the time the petition is filed.

  • Initial hearing on petition must commence within 90 days of filing and fact-finding hearing must be completed within 180 days of filing.

  • Effective July 1, 2018; amends IC 31-9-2-0.4, IC 31-34-21-5.6, and IC 31-35-2.

Legislative Description

Procedures to terminate parental rights. Provides that a court may find that reasonable efforts to reunify a child with the child's parent, guardian, or custodian or preserve a child's family are not required if the court finds that the parent, guardian, or custodian of a child who is a child in need of services has failed to maintain consistent and meaningful contact with the child over at least the most recent 12 months. Adds to the list of allegations that satisfy the requirements for a petition for termination of parental rights an allegation that: (1) the parent has failed to

Last Action

Senator Crane added as coauthor

1/16/2018

Committee Referrals

Judiciary1/3/2018

Full Bill Text

No bill text available