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H.B. 203

             1     

PARENTAL RIGHTS REVISIONS

             2     
2012 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Christine F. Watkins

             5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1996.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    provides that before ordering termination, the court shall consider whether
             13      terminating a parent's rights will cause a child to lose meaningful contact with other
             14      members of the child's ethnic group or race; and
             15          .    makes technical changes.
             16      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             17          None
             18      Other Special Clauses:
             19          None
             20      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             21      AMENDS:
             22          78A-6-507, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 3
             23     
             24      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             25          Section 1. Section 78A-6-507 is amended to read:
             26           78A-6-507. Grounds for termination of parental rights -- Findings regarding
             27      reasonable efforts.


             28          (1) The court may terminate all parental rights with respect to a parent if the court finds
             29      any one of the following:
             30          (a) that the parent has abandoned the child;
             31          (b) that the parent has neglected or abused the child;
             32          (c) that the parent is unfit or incompetent;
             33          (d) (i) that the child is being cared for in an out-of-home placement under the
             34      supervision of the court or the division;
             35          (ii) that the parent has substantially neglected, wilfully refused, or has been unable or
             36      unwilling to remedy the circumstances that cause the child to be in an out-of-home placement;
             37      and
             38          (iii) that there is a substantial likelihood that the parent will not be capable of
             39      exercising proper and effective parental care in the near future;
             40          (e) failure of parental adjustment, as defined in this chapter;
             41          (f) that only token efforts have been made by the parent:
             42          (i) to support or communicate with the child;
             43          (ii) to prevent neglect of the child;
             44          (iii) to eliminate the risk of serious harm to the child; or
             45          (iv) to avoid being an unfit parent;
             46          (g) (i) that the parent has voluntarily relinquished the parent's parental rights to the
             47      child; and
             48          (ii) that termination is in the child's best interest;
             49          (h) that, after a period of trial during which the child was returned to live in the child's
             50      own home, the parent substantially and continuously or repeatedly refused or failed to give the
             51      child proper parental care and protection; or
             52          (i) the terms and conditions of safe relinquishment of a newborn child have been
             53      complied with, pursuant to Title 62A, Chapter 4a, Part 8, Safe Relinquishment of a Newborn
             54      Child.
             55          (2) Prior to termination, the court shall consider whether terminating a parent's rights
             56      will cause the child to lose meaningful contact with other members of the child's ethnic group
             57      or race.
             58          [(2)] (3) The court may not terminate the parental rights of a parent because the parent


             59      has failed to complete the requirements of a child and family plan.
             60          [(3)] (4) (a) Except as provided in Subsection [(3)] (4)(b), in any case in which the
             61      court has directed the division to provide reunification services to a parent, the court must find
             62      that the division made reasonable efforts to provide those services before the court may
             63      terminate the parent's rights under Subsection (1)(b), (c), (d), (e), (f), or (h).
             64          (b) Notwithstanding Subsection [(3)] (4)(a), the court is not required to make the
             65      finding under Subsection [(3)] (4)(a) before terminating a parent's rights:
             66          (i) under Subsection (1)(b), if the court finds that the abuse or neglect occurred
             67      subsequent to adjudication; or
             68          (ii) if reasonable efforts to provide the services described in Subsection [(3)] (4)(a) are
             69      not required under federal law.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 9-6-11 3:27 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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