HB 1589 Summary

• Removes durable legal custody as a dispositional alternative in child neglect and abuse cases, effective July 1, 2025

• Replaces durable legal custody with durable legal relative guardianship, which requires the guardian to be a relative or fictive kin licensed as a foster parent and requires six (6) months of prior physical custody and Department of Child Protection Services supervision

• Eliminates annual review requirements and Department oversight for durable legal relative guardianship cases, allowing petitions to modify only upon material changes in circumstances

• Clarifies that durable legal relative guardianship is a final order appealable to the Mississippi Supreme Court and removes references to the discontinued durable legal custody status throughout youth court statutes

• Updates statutory definitions to remove "durable legal custody" and conform related sections in chapters 43-21 and 43-15 to reflect the transition to durable legal relative guardianship