SB1 Alabama 2016 Session

Under existing law, before initiating a proceeding in the juvenile court to terminate the parental rights of the parent or parents of a child who has been placed in foster care or in the custody of the Department of Human Resources, the court is generally required to make a finding that the department has made reasonable efforts to preserve the family and reunify the child with the family before the court may order that the parental rights are involuntarily terminated. Existing law also provides certain conditions when the court is not required to make this finding

This bill would also eliminate the duty of the Department of Human Resources to make such reasonable efforts to preserve the family if the parent has allowed the child to be in the presence of a methamphetamine laboratory or a location where illegal drugs are stored, kept, packaged, diluted, or manufactured

Relating to the termination of parental rights; to amend Section 12-15-312, Code of Alabama 1975, to eliminate the duty of the Department of Human Resources to make reasonable efforts with respect to a parent of a child to protect the family relationship if the parent has allowed the child to be in the presence of a methamphetamine laboratory or a location where illegal drugs are stored, kept, packaged, diluted, or manufactured.