TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS H.B. 4535 (H-1) & 4820: FLOOR SUMMARY
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House Bill 4535 (Substitute H-1 as reported without amendment)
House Bill 4820 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Pam Byrnes
House Committee: Judiciary
Senate Committee: Families and Human Services

CONTENT

House Bill 4535 (H-1) would amend the juvenile code to revise a provision that permits the family division of circuit court (family court) to terminate a parent's parental rights to a child if the parent voluntarily terminated rights to another child after abuse or neglect proceedings were initiated.


House Bill 4820 would amend the Child Protection Law to revise a provision requiring the Department of Human Services (DHS) to petition the family court to terminate parental rights to a child if the parent voluntarily terminated parental rights to another child after abuse or neglect proceedings were initiated.


Under the bills, those provisions would apply only if parental rights were voluntarily terminated in cases that involved abandonment of a young child; criminal sexual conduct; severe physical abuse; life-threatening injury; murder; voluntary manslaughter; or other specified types of abuse.
The bills are tie-barred, and each bill would take effect 180 days after it was enacted.


MCL 712A.19b (H.B. 4535) Legislative Analyst: Curtis Walker 722.638 (H.B. 4820)

FISCAL IMPACT
The bills would likely reduce the number of petitions for termination of parental rights filed by the Department of Human Services and could lead to a minor reduction in the number of children supervised by the DHS in out-of-home placements.


The bills would have an indeterminate impact on the judiciary that would depend on potentially reduced numbers of cases filed by the Department of Human Services.


Date Completed: 2-9-10 Fiscal Analyst: Bill Bowerman David Fosdick

Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb4535&4820/0910