HB 2130 Summary

• Amends Oklahoma law (10A O.S. 2011, Section 1-4-904) to add two new grounds for terminating parental rights based on substantial erosion of the parent-child relationship.

• Adds ground 15: Court may terminate parental rights upon finding substantial erosion of the relationship caused by the parent's serious or aggravated neglect, physical or sexual abuse, prolonged unexplained absence, or unreasonable failure to visit or communicate with the child.

• Adds ground 16: Court may terminate parental rights if a child age 4 or older has been in foster care for 15 of the most recent 22 months preceding the petition and cannot be safely returned home; entry into foster care is determined by the earlier of the adjudication date or 60 days after removal from home.

• Adds ground 17: Court may terminate parental rights if a child under age 4 has been in foster care for at least 6 of the preceding 12 months and cannot be safely returned home; permits court to consider failure to maintain parental bond and potential psychological harm from separating the child from the substitute caregiver.

• Effective date: November 1, 2014.