Brief(1)
H.B. 2210 amends the Code for Care of Children dealing with appeals regarding parental rights and temporary custody decisions to require every notice of appeal, docketing statement, and brief shall be verified by the interested party. Failure to have the verification shall result in the dismissal of the appeal.
Background
The bill was supported by the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) and Representatives Landwehr and Lightner. The SRS representative said that H.B. 2210 would require minimal involvement by the parent whose rights are being severed and who are demanding the appeal. It requires them to remain in contact with their attorney and to review and sign the papers required at each stage of the appeal. If a parent is unwilling or unable to review and sign the required documents, the appeal is over and the child is free to be placed in a permanent adoptive family. It is specifically intended to address situations where having issued the severance order, the parent disappears. It would enable attorneys to cease efforts on behalf of a client whose whereabouts are no longer known or who fail to respond to contacts from their attorney. It would save valuable court time but most of all it would benefit children in need of safe, permanent families.
The bill has no fiscal impact.
1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html.