MI HB4820

Department of Social Services must petition the court for authorization to seek termination of parental rights when a parent, guardian, custodian, or resident adult abuses a child or sibling involving criminal sexual conduct, severe physical abuse, abandonment, organ/limb loss, life-threatening injury, or murder/attempted murder.

Department must also petition when there is risk of harm to a child and the parent's parental rights were previously terminated or voluntarily terminated in another case involving similar serious abuse or crimes including voluntary manslaughter and aiding/abetting murder.

When submitting a petition under these conditions, the department must request termination of parental rights at the initial dispositional hearing if the parent is a suspected perpetrator or failed to take reasonable steps to prevent harm.

If the department considers petitioning for termination of parental rights but facts do not mandate action under the above conditions, the department must hold a conference with relevant personnel and notify the child's attorney; disagreements are resolved by the department director after consulting with attorneys for both the department and child.

Effective date is September 4, 2010, contingent upon enactment of House Bill 4535 of the 95th Legislature.