HB 132 – Juvenile Code Rev’s/CIP Recommendations

Primary House Sponsors: Rep. Sarah Stevens (R-Alleghany, Surry, Wilkes)

Summary

This bill makes a series of changes to the juvenile code pursuant to recommendations by the Court Improvement Program. Changes include:

  • Authorizes a juvenile or the juvenile’s guardian ad litem to review and request all information received by DSS unless prohibited by federal law. Also requires DSS to provide copies of the requested information within a reasonable period of time.
  • Requires DSS directors to make reasonable efforts to place juvenile siblings who are removed and placed in the nonsecure custody of DSS in the same home unless doing so would be contrary to the safety or well-being of the siblings.
  • Requires a copy of petitions alleging juvenile abuse, neglect, or dependency to be provide to each named parent’s attorney appointed as provisional counsel by the clerk.
  • Specifies that an individual who has been ordered to comply with a plan of treatment for substance use disorder is not in violation of the court’s order if she or she is compliant with medication-assisted treatment.
  • Specifies the purpose of post termination of parental rights’ placement review is to ensure every reasonable effort is being made to provide for the permanent plan for the juvenile who has been placed in the DSS director’s custody or in the custody of a licensed child-placing agency consistent with the juvenile’s best interest.
  • Allows a young adult to terminate a voluntary agreement for placement in foster care without a return to court.
  • Requires the court to ask the juvenile whether the juvenile has his or her identification, educational, and medical records and information about how the juvenile can participate in the foster care 18-21 program at or before the permanency planning hearing immediately following the juvenile’s seventeenth birthday.
  • Permits a juvenile/a juvenile’s guardian ad litem to review records maintained by the Director of the Department of Social Service unless prohibited by Federal law.

Movement

Filed – 2/23/2021