House Bill 571 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arnold MooneyRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Foster parents; rights further provided for, right of intervention granted in certain circumstances

Summary

HB571 expands foster parents’ rights by giving them a formal role in hearings and, after long-term foster care, a right to intervene in related court cases.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, it would spell out many rights for foster parents, including the right to be heard at hearings and to submit written reports about the child’s status. For foster children who have been in DHR care for at least 15 months, it would grant the foster parents a right to intervene in the child’s legal proceedings as a matter of right, unless the court finds intervention would harm the child’s best interests or delay a permanent resolution. The bill also amends state law to require the Department of Human Resources to uphold these rights and provide training, information, and support to foster parents.

Who It Affects

• Foster parents, who would gain explicit rights to be heard, receive information, and potentially intervene in court proceedings after 15 months in care.
• Foster children, who may benefit from more input from foster parents and potentially quicker, more stable case outcomes.
• The Department of Human Resources and the courts, which would implement and enforce these rights and processes.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 38-12A-2 to enumerate foster parents’ rights, including dignity and status as primary care providers and team members.
• Right to information about rights, roles, and placement plans; right to a written explanation of the foster parent’s role.
• Right to training and support to care for the child and to access services.
• Right to input in identifying resources and services and to advocate for the child without reprisal.
• Right to information about the child’s health, behavior, education, and background; information to be shared promptly, with 72-hour timelines for emergency placements.
• Right to a written plan explaining the child’s placement and to review placement information before placement (72 hours for emergencies).
• Confidential information protection, with ISP processes guiding what can be shared.
• Right to an on-call DHR staff person 24/7 for assistance.
• Right to fair board payments and reimbursements per a plan adopted with input from foster parents.
• Right to accept or refuse a placement or request removal for good cause without reprisal.
• Right to information about meetings and to participate in ISP team decisions.
• Right to request a volunteer advocate and attend meetings with confidentiality of communications.
• Right to timely notice of hearings and to be heard, including the ability to submit reports to the court.
• Right to communicate with professionals working with the child and with the child’s birth family and other foster/adoptive families with ISP approval and no reprisal.
• Right to ongoing, relevant information about care and changes to the case plan, with reasons for changes.
• Right to first consideration as the resource for adoption if the child becomes eligible.
• Right to respite upon request (with reasonable notice).
• Right to information about maltreatment allegations, the process for handling them, and copies of related reports; written notices of findings within five days where applicable.
• Right to mediation procedures and access to mediation under department policy.
• Right to appeal the closing of a foster family home under established procedures.
• Right to submit a written report to the court about the child’s status and welfare as part of being heard.
• Right to intervene in court proceedings after 15 months of care as a matter of right; court may deny only with timely written findings showing harm to the child’s best interests or to a timely, permanent resolution; no need for DHR consent to intervene; no guaranteed court-appointed counsel.
• Effective date: the act would become effective October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07 on Mar 5, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Family Law