HB115 Alabama 2013 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

High Interest

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Mike Jones
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2013
Title: Foster children, Human Resources Dept., termination of parental rights, time for filing for shortened, service by publication in certain circumstances, Secs. 12-15-317, 12-15-318, 12-15-320 am'd.
Summary: The Best Interests of the Child Act of 2013 speeds up termination of parental rights procedures and requires earlier filing, publication service, and tighter court timelines.
What This Bill Does
It requires the Department of Human Resources to file to terminate parental rights sooner when a child has been in foster care for 12 of the last 22 months. It sets a 90-day limit for finishing the trial after service is perfected and a 30-day limit for the final order after the trial. It adds publication service if service isn’t done within 45 days, and allows publication when a child was abandoned or when absent parents cannot be located or are avoiding service. After termination, the court may grant permanent custody to DHR or a licensed agency, or to a capable petitioner, with exceptions to filing in certain cases.

Who It Affects
Children in Alabama foster care who have been in care for 12 of the last 22 months (and children who are abandoned) could face earlier termination petitions.
Parents whose parental rights may be terminated (including absent or hard-to-serve parents) and the state agencies and courts that process these petitions (DHR, licensed child-placing agencies, and the juvenile court).

Key Provisions
Mandatory filing by the Department of Human Resources to terminate parental rights for a child in foster care 12 of the most recent 22 months, or in other specified serious circumstances; exceptions allow not filing in certain cases (e.g., relative care, compelling reasons, or required services not provided).
Trials on termination petitions must be completed within 90 days after service of process is perfected, and a final order must be entered within 30 days after trial.
If service of process is not completed within 45 days of filing, the petitioner must request service by publication; publication may also be ordered if the child was abandoned in the state or if the absent parent or parents are avoiding service or their whereabouts cannot be determined.
Termination cases receive priority; after termination, permanent custody can be transferred to the Department of Human Resources or a licensed child-placing agency, or awarded to a petitioner deemed capable.
The act becomes effective immediately upon passage.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Family Law