TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS S.B. 458:
SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 458 (as introduced 9-9-15)
Sponsor: Senator Tonya Schuitmaker
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Adoption Code to specify that, for the purposes of termination of parental rights, a child support order stating that support was $0.00 or was reserved would have to be treated as if no support order had been entered.
Under the Code, if the parents of a child are divorced, or are unmarried but the father has acknowledged paternity or is a putative father, and if the parent having legal custody of the child subsequently marries and that parent's spouse petitions to adopt the child, the court upon notice and hearing may issue an order terminating the rights of the other parent if he or she: a) having the ability to support the child, has failed or neglected to provide regular and substantial support for the child, or has failed to comply with a support order, for a period of at least two years, and b) having the ability to visit, contact, or communicate with the child, has regularly failed or neglected to do so for two years or more.
Under the bill, a support order stating that support was $0.00 or that support was reserved would have to be treated in the same manner as if no support order had been entered.
MCL 710.51 Legislative Analyst: Jeff Mann
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
This 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.