"NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 13.34 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A caregiver of a dependent child may petition the juvenile court to be heard on a decision by the department or supervising agency to remove the child from the caregiver's home if:
     (a) The child has been found to be a dependent child under this chapter;
     (b) The child had been placed with and resided in the caregiver's home for twelve or more continuous months prior to the decision to remove, or the removal of, the child;
     (c) The child is in the custody of the department or supervising agency at the time the petition to be heard is filed; and
     (d) The department or supervising agency has made the decision to remove or has already removed the child from the caregiver's home.
     (2) The caregiver may file a petition under this section within not more than ten business days after the date the caregiver receives notice of the removal decision, or the child is removed from the caregiver's home, whichever is later.      
     (3) If the requirements of subsection (1) of this section are met, the court shall grant the petition to be heard on the sole issue of the placement decision and shall schedule an expedited hearing on the matter.
     (4) The caregiver has the right to be represented by counsel, at his or her own expense, at the hearing on the issue of the placement decision.
     (5) The granting of a petition to be heard under this section does not grant the caregiver party status in the underlying dependency.
     (6) For the purposes of this section, "caregiver" means a relative as defined in RCW 74.15.020(2)(a) except a parent, another suitable person as described in RCW 13.34.130(1)(b), or a licensed foster parent."