Bill No.: HB0237                  Drafter:  MRW

 

LSO No.:  05LSO-0432              Effective Date:  7/1/2005

 

Enrolled Act No.:  HEA0121

 

Chapter No.:       201

 

Prime Sponsor:     Representative Robinson

 

Catch Title:       Child protection.

 

Subject:  Modifies the review hearing dates and requirements for permanency hearings regarding permanent placement of the child outside the home.

 

Summary/Major Elements:

 

·        Requires the court to conduct a permanency hearing no later than 12 months from the date the child is removed from the home and not less than once every 12 months after that.

 

·        Requires the court to conduct a permanency hearing within 30 days of a determination that reasonable efforts to preserve and reunify the family are not required.

 

·        Allows the court to combine a permanency hearing with any other hearing.

 

·        Requires the court to determine if the permanency plan is in the best interest of the child and whether the department of family services has made reasonable efforts to finalize the plan.

 

·        Relocates a provision of current law requiring a petition to terminate parental rights to be filed within 60 days of the judicial determination that reasonable efforts to reunify the child and parent are not required.  With the relocation, the old provision, W.S. 14-3-440(h), is repealed.