SB214 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Donnie ChesteenSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Juveniles, grounds for termination of parental rights, factors for juvenile courts to consider, permanency plans for children, Secs. 12-15-319, 26-10A-17 am'd.

Summary

SB214 changes how Alabama judges decide termination of parental rights by valuing the child’s relationship with foster parents, restricting some relatives from guardianship, and limiting notice for terminated-rights individuals in adoptions.

What This Bill Does

If passed, the bill requires juvenile courts to consider the child’s relationship with current foster parents and the child’s best interests when deciding whether to terminate parental rights. It adds a new factor about significant emotional ties to current foster parents, with criteria like length of time in a stable environment and whether severing those ties would be against the child’s best interests. It also says a relative may not be considered as a legal guardian if the relative did not meet certain conditions (notably not attempting to care within four months of removal and if the current foster parents’ adoption goal applies). Additionally, people whose parental rights have been terminated would not be entitled to receive notice of pendency in adoption proceedings involving the child.

Who It Affects

• Children in the foster care system and their current foster parents, as the court must weigh foster-parent relationships and the child’s best interests when termination of parental rights is considered.
• Relatives who might seek to become a legal guardian, and individuals whose parental rights have been terminated, as the former may be disqualified under specified criteria and the latter may lose certain notice rights in adoption cases.

Key Provisions

• The juvenile court must consider the child’s relationship with current foster parents and the child’s best interests when determining whether to terminate parental rights.
• A relative is not required to be considered as a guardian if the relative did not meet specified requirements (e.g., did not attempt to care for the child within four months of removal and the permanency plan is adoption by current foster parents).
• Service for adoption pendency cannot be provided to individuals whose parental rights have been terminated regarding proceedings for the same child.
• Adds a new factor (13) to the grounds for termination: significant emotional ties between the child and current foster parents, with sub-factors about duration in a stable environment and whether severing ties would be contrary to the child’s best interests, in addition to existing grounds.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Juveniles