FINAL BILL REPORT

HB 1790

C 17 L 18

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Concerning dependency petitions where the department of social and health services is the petitioner.

Sponsors: Representatives Lovick, Dent, Kagi, Frame and Jinkins; by request of Department of Social and Health Services.

House Committee on Early Learning & Human Services

Senate Committee on Human Services, Mental Health & Housing

Senate Committee on Human Services & Corrections

Background:

Anyone, including the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), may file a petition in court alleging that a child should be a dependent of the state due to abuse, neglect, or because there is no parent, guardian, or custodian capable of adequately caring for the child. In counties that have paid probation officers, those officers must, to the extent possible, determine whether dependency petitions are justifiable. These petitions must be verified and contain a statement of facts that constitute a dependency and the names and residence of the parents if known.

If a court determines that a child is dependent, then the court will conduct periodic reviews and make determinations regarding the child's placement, the provision of services by the DSHS, compliance of the parents, and whether progress has been made by the parents.

Under certain circumstances after a child has been removed from the custody of a parent for at least six months pursuant to a finding of dependency, a petition may be filed seeking termination of parental rights.

Summary:

An exception is made that probation officers do not have to determine whether dependency petitions are justifiable when the DSHS files a dependency petition.

Votes on Final Passage: