SB461 Alabama 2015 Session

Updated Feb 24, 2026

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Paul Bussman
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2015
Title: Children, parental rights, termination proceeding, presence of methamphetamine or drugs, Department of Human Resources not required to show reasonable efforts to reserve relationships, Sec. 12-15-312 am'd.
Summary: SB461 would remove the Department of Human Resources' duty to try to preserve the family before terminating parental rights if the parent exposed the child to a meth lab or other illegal drug location.
What This Bill Does
The bill amends how reasonable efforts are treated in termination cases. It removes the requirement to show reasonable efforts to preserve the family when a parent has allowed a child to be present at a methamphetamine laboratory or similar illegal drug site. Other reasons for not requiring reasonable efforts remain, and the safety of the child continues to be the main concern. It also lists meth-lab exposure as an aggravating circumstance that supports not needing to pursue reasonable efforts before termination.

Who It Affects
Parents who have allowed their child to be in the presence of a methamphetamine laboratory or illegal drug location, as the department would no longer be required to prove reasonable efforts to preserve the family before termination.
Children in foster care or under Department of Human Resources custody, who could be subject to termination of parental rights without the requisite reunification efforts in these specific cases.

Key Provisions
Amends Section 12-15-312 to eliminate the duty of the Department of Human Resources to make reasonable efforts to preserve the family when a parent has allowed the child to be present at a methamphetamine laboratory or illegal drug location.
Explicitly treats exposure to a methamphetamine laboratory as an aggravating circumstance where reasonable efforts to preserve the family may not be required before termination.
Maintains other grounds and conditions for reasonable efforts and permanency planning, but clarifies the exception for meth/drug exposure scenarios.
Effective date: becomes law immediately after governor's approval.

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