Bill Text: MI HB4820 | 2009-2010 | 95th Legislature | Chaptered


Bill Title: Children; abuse or neglect; conditions involving termination of parental rights in child protection law; restrict. Amends sec. 18 of 1975 PA 238 (MCL 722.638).

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2010-03-09 - Assigned Pa 12'10 With Immediate Effect [HB4820 Detail]

Download: Michigan-2009-HB4820-Chaptered.html

Act No. 12

Public Acts of 2010

Approved by the Governor

March 8, 2010

Filed with the Secretary of State

March 8, 2010

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 4, 2010

STATE OF MICHIGAN

95TH LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2010

Introduced by Rep. Byrnes

ENROLLED HOUSE BILL No. 4820

AN ACT to amend 1975 PA 238, entitled “An act to require the reporting of child abuse and neglect by certain persons; to permit the reporting of child abuse and neglect by all persons; to provide for the protection of children who are abused or neglected; to authorize limited detainment in protective custody; to authorize medical examinations; to prescribe the powers and duties of the state department of social services to prevent child abuse and neglect; to prescribe certain powers and duties of local law enforcement agencies; to safeguard and enhance the welfare of children and preserve family life; to provide for the appointment of legal counsel; to provide for the abrogation of privileged communications; to provide civil and criminal immunity for certain persons; to provide rules of evidence in certain cases; to provide for confidentiality of records; to provide for the expungement of certain records; to prescribe penalties; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts,” by amending section 18 (MCL 722.638), as amended by 1998 PA 428.

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

Sec. 18. (1) The department shall submit a petition for authorization by the court under section 2(b) of chapter XIIA of 1939 PA 288, MCL 712A.2, if 1 or more of the following apply:

(a) The department determines that a parent, guardian, or custodian, or a person who is 18 years of age or older and who resides for any length of time in the child’s home, has abused the child or a sibling of the child and the abuse included 1 or more of the following:

(i) Abandonment of a young child.

(ii) Criminal sexual conduct involving penetration, attempted penetration, or assault with intent to penetrate.

(iii) Battering, torture, or other severe physical abuse.

(iv) Loss or serious impairment of an organ or limb.

(v) Life threatening injury.

(vi) Murder or attempted murder.

(b) The department determines that there is risk of harm to the child and either of the following is true:

(i) The parent’s rights to another child were terminated as a result of proceedings under section 2(b) of chapter XIIA of 1939 PA 288, MCL 712A.2, or a similar law of another state.

(ii) The parent’s rights to another child were voluntarily terminated following the initiation of proceedings under section 2(b) of chapter XIIA of 1939 PA 288, MCL 712A.2, or a similar law of another state and the proceeding involved abuse that included 1 or more of the following:

(A) Abandonment of a young child.

(B) Criminal sexual conduct involving penetration, attempted penetration, or assault with intent to penetrate.

(C) Battering, torture, or other severe physical abuse.

(D) Loss or serious impairment of an organ or limb.

(E) Life-threatening injury.

(F) Murder or attempted murder.

(G) Voluntary manslaughter.

(H) Aiding and abetting, attempting to commit, conspiring to commit, or soliciting murder or voluntary manslaughter.

(2) In a petition submitted as required by subsection (1), if a parent is a suspected perpetrator or is suspected of placing the child at an unreasonable risk of harm due to the parent’s failure to take reasonable steps to intervene to eliminate that risk, the department shall include a request for termination of parental rights at the initial dispositional hearing as authorized under section 19b of chapter XIIA of 1939 PA 288, MCL 712A.19b.

(3) If the department is considering petitioning for termination of parental rights at the initial dispositional hearing as authorized under section 19b of chapter XIIA of 1939 PA 288, MCL 712A.19b, even though the facts of the child’s case do not require departmental action under subsection (1), the department shall hold a conference among the appropriate agency personnel to agree upon the course of action. The department shall notify the attorney representing the child of the time and place of the conference, and the attorney may attend. If an agreement is not reached at this conference, the department director or the director’s designee shall resolve the disagreement after consulting the attorneys representing both the department and the child.

Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 180 days after the date it is enacted into law.

Enacting section 2. This amendatory act does not take effect unless House Bill No. 4535 of the 95th Legislature is enacted into law.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Clerk of the House of Representatives

Secretary of the Senate

Approved

Governor