1 | 1 | | Session of 2024 |
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2 | 2 | | HOUSE BILL No. 2554 |
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3 | 3 | | By Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care |
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4 | 4 | | Requested by John Monroe, The Center for the Rights of Abused Children |
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5 | 5 | | 1-18 |
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6 | 6 | | AN ACT concerning children and minors; relating to the secretary for |
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7 | 7 | | children and families; directing the secretary to identify relatives of |
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8 | 8 | | children alleged or adjudicated to be a child in need of care; requiring |
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9 | 9 | | the secretary to file efforts to find relatives or persons with whom the |
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10 | 10 | | child has close emotional ties and send notice to such persons of the |
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11 | 11 | | custody of the child; amending K.S.A. 38-2264 and K.S.A. 2023 Supp. |
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12 | 12 | | 38-2243 and repealing the existing sections. |
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13 | 13 | | Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas: |
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14 | 14 | | New Section 1. (a) When the court issues an order directing who shall |
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15 | 15 | | have temporary custody of a child pursuant to K.S.A. 38-2243, and |
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16 | 16 | | amendments thereto, the secretary shall search, identify and notify adult |
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17 | 17 | | relatives of the child who is the subject of the proceedings or persons with |
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18 | 18 | | whom the child has close emotional ties within 30 days of the court order. |
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19 | 19 | | (b) The secretary's search to identify adult relatives of the child or |
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20 | 20 | | persons with whom the child has close emotional ties shall include: |
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21 | 21 | | (1) An interview with the child's parents; |
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22 | 22 | | (2) an interview with the child; |
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23 | 23 | | (3) interviews with identified adult relatives; |
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24 | 24 | | (4) interviews with other persons who are likely to have information |
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25 | 25 | | regarding the location of adult relatives of the child or persons with whom |
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26 | 26 | | the child has close emotional ties; |
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27 | 27 | | (5) inquiries of the parties of the child in need of care proceeding |
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28 | 28 | | conducted by the court; |
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29 | 29 | | (6) a comprehensive search of databases that include access to: |
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30 | 30 | | (A) Employment records; |
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31 | 31 | | (B) vehicle registration records; |
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32 | 32 | | (C) child support enforcement records; |
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33 | 33 | | (D) utility accounts; |
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34 | 34 | | (E) previous residential addresses; |
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35 | 35 | | (F) law enforcement agency records; |
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36 | 36 | | (G) department of corrections records; and |
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37 | 37 | | (H) any other records that are likely to result in identifying and |
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38 | 38 | | locating adult relatives of the child; and |
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39 | 39 | | (7) any other means that are likely to identify adult relatives of the |
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74 | 74 | | 35 HB 2554 2 |
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75 | 75 | | child or persons with whom the child has close emotional ties. |
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76 | 76 | | (c) Within 30 days of a court order issued pursuant to K.S.A. 38- |
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77 | 77 | | 2243, and amendments thereto, and at each subsequent hearing for the |
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78 | 78 | | child in need of care proceeding, the secretary shall file with the court a |
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79 | 79 | | report of such secretary's efforts to comply with subsection (a). The report |
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80 | 80 | | shall include: |
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81 | 81 | | (1) Whether adult relatives of the child or persons with whom the |
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82 | 82 | | child has close emotional ties have accepted or rejected consideration for |
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83 | 83 | | the child's placement and any person who has responded to the notice |
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84 | 84 | | received pursuant to subsection (d); |
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85 | 85 | | (2) the status of the secretary's efforts to consider such relatives and |
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86 | 86 | | persons as a placement for the child; and |
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87 | 87 | | (3) documentation of unresponsiveness from relatives and persons |
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88 | 88 | | who received notice pursuant to subsection (d). |
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89 | 89 | | (d) Unless safety concerns exist that are known to the secretary, the |
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90 | 90 | | secretary shall provide notice by certified mail to adult relatives of the |
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91 | 91 | | child and persons with whom the child has close emotional ties as |
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92 | 92 | | identified according to the requirements of this section. The notice shall |
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93 | 93 | | include: |
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94 | 94 | | (1) Information that the child has been or is being removed from |
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95 | 95 | | parental custody; |
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96 | 96 | | (2) options available to an adult relative or a person with whom a |
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97 | 97 | | child has close emotional ties for participating in the care or placement of |
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98 | 98 | | the child; |
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99 | 99 | | (3) information on financial assistance or other forms of support that |
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100 | 100 | | are available to whomever the child may be placed; |
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101 | 101 | | (4) a description of the process for becoming a licensed foster home |
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102 | 102 | | and a list of services and support that are available for children placed in |
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103 | 103 | | licensed foster homes; |
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104 | 104 | | (5) information for responding to the secretary's notice; and |
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105 | 105 | | (6) a statement that failure to respond within 30 days of the date of |
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106 | 106 | | the notice may result in the secretary not considering for placement the |
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107 | 107 | | adult relative or the person with whom the child has close emotional ties. |
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108 | 108 | | An adult relative or a person who fails to respond within 30 days of the |
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109 | 109 | | date of the notice and subsequently wishes to become the child's placement |
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110 | 110 | | shall show by clear and convincing evidence that a change in placement is |
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111 | 111 | | in the best interests of such child. |
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112 | 112 | | (e) The secretary shall continue to search for adult relatives of the |
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113 | 113 | | child or a person with whom the child has close emotional ties, if ordered |
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114 | 114 | | by the court, for up to six months from the order directing who shall have |
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115 | 115 | | temporary custody of a child pursuant to K.S.A. 38-2243, and amendments |
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116 | 116 | | thereto, or a change in the child's placement. |
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117 | 117 | | (f) On the date of a permanency hearing held pursuant to K.S.A. 38- |
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160 | 160 | | 43 HB 2554 3 |
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161 | 161 | | 2264, and amendments thereto, the secretary shall report to the court the |
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162 | 162 | | intensive, ongoing and, as of the date of the hearing, unsuccessful |
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163 | 163 | | permanency efforts made by the secretary to return the child home or |
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164 | 164 | | secure a placement for the child with a fit and willing relative, a legal |
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165 | 165 | | guardian or an adoptive parent. |
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166 | 166 | | (g) This section shall be a part of and supplemental the revised |
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167 | 167 | | Kansas code for care of children. |
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168 | 168 | | Sec. 2. K.S.A. 2023 Supp. 38-2243 is hereby amended to read as |
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169 | 169 | | follows: 38-2243. (a) Upon notice and hearing, the court may issue an |
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170 | 170 | | order directing who shall have temporary custody and may modify the |
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171 | 171 | | order during the pendency of the proceedings as will best serve the child's |
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172 | 172 | | welfare. |
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173 | 173 | | (b) A hearing pursuant to this section shall be held within 72 hours, |
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174 | 174 | | excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and days on which the |
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175 | 175 | | office of the clerk of the court is not accessible, following a child having |
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176 | 176 | | been taken into protective custody. |
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177 | 177 | | (c) Whenever it is determined that a temporary custody hearing is |
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178 | 178 | | required, the court shall immediately set the time and place for the hearing. |
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179 | 179 | | Notice of a temporary custody hearing shall be given to all parties and |
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180 | 180 | | interested parties. |
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181 | 181 | | (d) Notice of the temporary custody hearing shall be given at least 24 |
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182 | 182 | | hours prior to the hearing. The court may continue the hearing to afford the |
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183 | 183 | | 24 hours prior notice or, with the consent of the party or interested party, |
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184 | 184 | | proceed with the hearing at the designated time. If an order of temporary |
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185 | 185 | | custody is entered and the parent or other person having custody of the |
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186 | 186 | | child has not been notified of the hearing, did not appear or waive |
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187 | 187 | | appearance and requests a rehearing, the court shall rehear the matter |
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188 | 188 | | without unnecessary delay. |
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189 | 189 | | (e) Oral notice may be used for giving notice of a temporary custody |
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190 | 190 | | hearing where there is insufficient time to give written notice. Oral notice |
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191 | 191 | | is completed upon filing a certificate of oral notice. |
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192 | 192 | | (f) The court may enter an order of temporary custody after |
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193 | 193 | | determining there is probable cause to believe that the: |
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194 | 194 | | (1) Child is dangerous to self or to others; |
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195 | 195 | | (2) child is not likely to be available within the jurisdiction of the |
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196 | 196 | | court for future proceedings; |
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197 | 197 | | (3) health or welfare of the child may be endangered without further |
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198 | 198 | | care; |
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199 | 199 | | (4) child has been subjected to human trafficking or aggravated |
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200 | 200 | | human trafficking, as defined by K.S.A. 21-5426, and amendments |
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201 | 201 | | thereto, or commercial sexual exploitation of a child, as defined by K.S.A. |
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202 | 202 | | 21-6422, and amendments thereto; |
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203 | 203 | | (5) child is experiencing a mental health crisis and is in need of |
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246 | 246 | | 43 HB 2554 4 |
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247 | 247 | | treatment; or |
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248 | 248 | | (6) child committed an act which, if committed by an adult, would |
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249 | 249 | | constitute a violation of K.S.A. 21-6419, and amendments thereto. |
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250 | 250 | | (g) (1) Whenever the court determines the necessity for an order of |
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251 | 251 | | temporary custody the court may place the child in the temporary custody |
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252 | 252 | | of: |
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253 | 253 | | (A) A parent or other person having custody of the child and may |
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254 | 254 | | enter a restraining order pursuant to subsection (h); |
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255 | 255 | | (B) a person, other than the parent or other person having custody, |
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256 | 256 | | who shall not be required to be licensed under article 5 of chapter 65 of the |
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257 | 257 | | Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto; |
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258 | 258 | | (C) a youth residential facility; |
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259 | 259 | | (D) a shelter facility; |
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260 | 260 | | (E) a staff secure facility, notwithstanding any other provision of law, |
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261 | 261 | | if the child has been subjected to human trafficking or aggravated human |
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262 | 262 | | trafficking, as defined by K.S.A. 21-5426, and amendments thereto, or |
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263 | 263 | | commercial sexual exploitation of a child, as defined by K.S.A. 21-6422, |
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264 | 264 | | and amendments thereto, or the child committed an act which, if |
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265 | 265 | | committed by an adult, would constitute a violation of K.S.A. 21-6419, |
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266 | 266 | | and amendments thereto; |
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267 | 267 | | (F) after written authorization by a community mental health center, a |
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268 | 268 | | juvenile crisis intervention center, as described in K.S.A. 65-536, and |
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269 | 269 | | amendments thereto; or |
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270 | 270 | | (G) the secretary, if the child is 15 years of age or younger, or 16 or |
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271 | 271 | | 17 years of age if the child has no identifiable parental or family resources |
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272 | 272 | | or shows signs of physical, mental, emotional or sexual abuse. |
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273 | 273 | | (2) If the secretary presents the court with a plan to provide services |
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274 | 274 | | to a child or family which the court finds will assure the safety of the |
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275 | 275 | | child, the court may only place the child in the temporary custody of the |
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276 | 276 | | secretary until the court finds the services are in place. The court shall |
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277 | 277 | | have the authority to require any person or entity agreeing to participate in |
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278 | 278 | | the plan to perform as set out in the plan. When the child is placed in the |
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279 | 279 | | temporary custody of the secretary, the secretary shall have the |
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280 | 280 | | discretionary authority to place the child with a parent or to make other |
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281 | 281 | | suitable placement for the child. When the child is placed in the temporary |
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282 | 282 | | custody of the secretary and the child has been subjected to human |
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283 | 283 | | trafficking or aggravated human trafficking, as defined by K.S.A. 21-5426, |
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284 | 284 | | and amendments thereto, or commercial sexual exploitation of a child, as |
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285 | 285 | | defined by K.S.A 21-6422, and amendments thereto, or the child |
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286 | 286 | | committed an act which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a |
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287 | 287 | | violation of K.S.A. 21-6419, and amendments thereto, the secretary shall |
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288 | 288 | | have the discretionary authority to place the child in a staff secure facility, |
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289 | 289 | | notwithstanding any other provision of law. When the child is presently |
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332 | 332 | | 43 HB 2554 5 |
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333 | 333 | | alleged, but not yet adjudicated to be a child in need of care solely |
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334 | 334 | | pursuant to K.S.A. 38-2202(d)(9) or (d)(10), and amendments thereto, the |
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335 | 335 | | child may be placed in a secure facility, but the total amount of time that |
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336 | 336 | | the child may be held in such facility under this section and K.S.A. 38- |
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337 | 337 | | 2242, and amendments thereto, shall not exceed 24 hours, excluding |
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338 | 338 | | Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and days on which the office of the |
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339 | 339 | | clerk of the court is not accessible. The order of temporary custody shall |
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340 | 340 | | remain in effect until modified or rescinded by the court or an adjudication |
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341 | 341 | | order is entered but not exceeding 60 days, unless good cause is shown |
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342 | 342 | | and stated on the record. |
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343 | 343 | | (h) If the court issues an order of temporary custody, the court may |
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344 | 344 | | also enter an order restraining any alleged perpetrator of physical, sexual, |
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345 | 345 | | mental or emotional abuse of the child from residing in the child's home; |
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346 | 346 | | visiting, contacting, harassing or intimidating the child; or attempting to |
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347 | 347 | | visit, contact, harass or intimidate the child, other family members or |
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348 | 348 | | witnesses. Such restraining order shall be served by personal service |
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349 | 349 | | pursuant to K.S.A. 38-2237(a), and amendments thereto, on any alleged |
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350 | 350 | | perpetrator to whom the order is directed. |
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351 | 351 | | (i) (1) The court shall not enter the initial order removing a child from |
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352 | 352 | | the custody of a parent pursuant to this section unless the court first finds |
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353 | 353 | | probable cause that: |
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354 | 354 | | (A) (i) The child is likely to sustain harm if not immediately removed |
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355 | 355 | | from the home; |
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356 | 356 | | (ii) allowing the child to remain in home is contrary to the welfare of |
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357 | 357 | | the child; or |
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358 | 358 | | (iii) immediate placement of the child is in the best interest of the |
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359 | 359 | | child; and |
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360 | 360 | | (B) reasonable efforts have been made to maintain the family unit and |
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361 | 361 | | prevent the unnecessary removal of the child from the child's home or that |
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362 | 362 | | an emergency exists which threatens the safety to the child. |
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363 | 363 | | (2) Such findings shall be included in any order entered by the court. |
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364 | 364 | | If the child is placed in the custody of the secretary, upon making the order |
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365 | 365 | | the court shall provide the secretary with a written copy. |
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366 | 366 | | (j) If the court enters an order of temporary custody that provides for |
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367 | 367 | | placement of the child with a person other than the parent, the court shall |
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368 | 368 | | make a child support determination pursuant to K.S.A. 38-2277, and |
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369 | 369 | | amendments thereto. |
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370 | 370 | | (k) If the court enters an order of temporary custody, the court shall |
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371 | 371 | | order the secretary to search, identify and notify adult relatives or persons |
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372 | 372 | | with whom the child has close emotional ties for future placement |
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373 | 373 | | pursuant to section 1, and amendments thereto. |
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374 | 374 | | (l) For the purposes of this section, "harassing or intimidating" and |
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375 | 375 | | "harass or intimidate" includes, but is not limited to, utilizing any |
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418 | 418 | | 43 HB 2554 6 |
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419 | 419 | | electronic tracking system or acquiring tracking information to determine |
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420 | 420 | | the targeted person's location, movement or travel patterns. |
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421 | 421 | | Sec. 3. K.S.A. 38-2264 is hereby amended to read as follows: 38- |
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422 | 422 | | 2264. (a) A permanency hearing is a proceeding conducted by the court or |
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423 | 423 | | by a citizen review board for the purpose of determining progress toward |
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424 | 424 | | accomplishment of a permanency plan as established by K.S.A. 38-2263, |
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425 | 425 | | and amendments thereto. |
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426 | 426 | | (b) The court or a citizen review board shall hear and the court shall |
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427 | 427 | | determine whether and, if applicable, when the child will be: |
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428 | 428 | | (1) Reintegrated with the child's parents; |
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429 | 429 | | (2) placed for adoption; |
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430 | 430 | | (3) placed with a permanent custodian; or |
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431 | 431 | | (4) if the child is 16 years of age or older and the secretary has |
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432 | 432 | | documented compelling reasons why it would not be in the child's best |
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433 | 433 | | interests for a placement in one of the placements pursuant to paragraphs |
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434 | 434 | | (1), (2) or (3), placed in another planned permanent living arrangement. |
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435 | 435 | | (c) At each permanency hearing, the court shall: |
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436 | 436 | | (1) Enter a finding as to whether reasonable efforts have been made |
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437 | 437 | | by appropriate public or private agencies to rehabilitate the family and |
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438 | 438 | | achieve the permanency goal in place at the time of the hearing; |
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439 | 439 | | (2) enter a finding as to whether the reasonable and prudent parenting |
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440 | 440 | | standard has been met and whether the child has regular, ongoing |
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441 | 441 | | opportunities to engage in age or developmentally appropriate activities. |
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442 | 442 | | The secretary shall report to the court the steps the secretary is taking to |
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443 | 443 | | ensure that the child's foster family home or child care institution is |
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444 | 444 | | following the reasonable and prudent parenting standard and that the child |
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445 | 445 | | has regular, ongoing opportunities to engage in age or developmentally |
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446 | 446 | | appropriate activities, including consultation with the child in an age- |
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447 | 447 | | appropriate manner about the opportunities of the child to participate in the |
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448 | 448 | | activities; |
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449 | 449 | | (3) if the child is 14 years of age or older, document the efforts made |
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450 | 450 | | by the secretary to help the child prepare for the transition from custody to |
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451 | 451 | | a successful adulthood. The secretary shall report to the court the programs |
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452 | 452 | | and services that are being provided to the child that will help the child |
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453 | 453 | | prepare for the transition from custody to a successful adulthood. |
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454 | 454 | | (d) The requirements of this subsection shall apply only if the |
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455 | 455 | | permanency goal in place at the time of the hearing is another planned |
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456 | 456 | | permanent living arrangement as described in subsection (b)(4). At each |
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457 | 457 | | permanency hearing held with respect to the child, in addition to the |
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458 | 458 | | requirements of subsection (c), the court shall: |
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459 | 459 | | (1) Ask the child, if the child is able, by attendance at the hearing or |
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460 | 460 | | by report to the court, about the desired permanency outcome for the child; |
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461 | 461 | | (2) document the intensive, ongoing and, as of the date of the hearing, |
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505 | 505 | | unsuccessful permanency efforts made and reported by the secretary to |
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506 | 506 | | return the child home or secure a placement for the child with a fit and |
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507 | 507 | | willing relative, a legal guardian or an adoptive parent. The secretary shall |
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508 | 508 | | report to the court the intensive, ongoing and, as of the date of the hearing, |
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509 | 509 | | unsuccessful efforts made by the secretary to return the child home or |
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510 | 510 | | secure a placement for the child with a fit and willing relative, a legal |
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511 | 511 | | guardian or an adoptive parent, including efforts that utilize search |
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512 | 512 | | technology, including social media, to find biological family members of |
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513 | 513 | | the children pursuant to section 1, and amendments thereto; and |
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514 | 514 | | (3) make a judicial determination explaining why, as of the date of |
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515 | 515 | | the hearing, another planned permanent living arrangement is the best |
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516 | 516 | | permanency plan for the child and provide compelling reasons why it |
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517 | 517 | | continues to not be in the best interests of the child to return home, be |
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518 | 518 | | placed for adoption, be placed with a legal guardian or be placed with a fit |
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519 | 519 | | and willing relative. |
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520 | 520 | | (e) The requirements of this subsection shall apply only if the child is |
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521 | 521 | | placed in a qualified residential treatment program at the time of the |
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522 | 522 | | permanency hearing. At each permanency hearing held with respect to the |
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523 | 523 | | child, in addition to the requirements of subsection (c), the court shall |
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524 | 524 | | document: |
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525 | 525 | | (1) That the ongoing assessment of the strengths and needs of the |
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526 | 526 | | child continues to support the determination that the needs of the child |
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527 | 527 | | cannot be met through placement in a foster family home, that the |
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528 | 528 | | placement in a qualified residential treatment program provides the most |
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529 | 529 | | effective and appropriate level of care for the child in the least restrictive |
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530 | 530 | | environment, and that the placement is consistent with the short-term and |
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531 | 531 | | long-term goals for the child, as specified in the permanency plan for the |
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532 | 532 | | child; |
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533 | 533 | | (2) the specific treatment or service needs that will be met for the |
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534 | 534 | | child in the placement and the length of time the child is expected to need |
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535 | 535 | | the treatment or services; and |
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536 | 536 | | (3) the efforts made by the secretary to prepare the child to return |
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537 | 537 | | home or to be placed with a fit and willing relative, a legal guardian, or an |
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538 | 538 | | adoptive parent, or in a foster family home. |
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539 | 539 | | (f) A permanency hearing shall be held within 12 months of the date |
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540 | 540 | | the court authorized the child's removal from the home and not less |
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541 | 541 | | frequently than every 12 months thereafter. If the court makes a finding |
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542 | 542 | | that the requirements of subsection (c)(1) or (2) have not been met, a |
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543 | 543 | | subsequent permanency hearing shall be held no later than 60 days |
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544 | 544 | | following the finding. |
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545 | 545 | | (g) If the court determines at any time other than during a |
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546 | 546 | | permanency hearing that reintegration may not be a viable alternative for |
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547 | 547 | | the child, a permanency hearing shall be held no later than 30 days |
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591 | 591 | | following that determination. |
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592 | 592 | | (h) When the court finds that reintegration continues to be a viable |
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593 | 593 | | alternative, the court shall determine whether and, if applicable, when the |
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594 | 594 | | child will be returned to the parent. The court may rescind any of its prior |
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595 | 595 | | dispositional orders and enter any dispositional order authorized by this |
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596 | 596 | | code or may order that a new plan for the reintegration be prepared and |
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597 | 597 | | submitted to the court. If reintegration cannot be accomplished as |
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598 | 598 | | approved by the court, the court shall be informed and shall schedule a |
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599 | 599 | | hearing pursuant to this section. No such hearing is required when the |
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600 | 600 | | parents voluntarily relinquish parental rights or consent to appointment of |
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601 | 601 | | a permanent custodian. |
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602 | 602 | | (i) If the court finds reintegration is no longer a viable alternative, the |
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603 | 603 | | court shall consider whether: (1) The child is in a stable placement with a |
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604 | 604 | | relative; (2) services set out in the case plan necessary for the safe return |
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605 | 605 | | of the child have been made available to the parent with whom |
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606 | 606 | | reintegration is planned; or (3) compelling reasons are documented in the |
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607 | 607 | | case plan to support a finding that neither adoption nor appointment of a |
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608 | 608 | | permanent custodian are in the child's best interest. If reintegration is not a |
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609 | 609 | | viable alternative and either adoption or appointment of a permanent |
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610 | 610 | | custodian might be in the best interests of the child, the county or district |
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611 | 611 | | attorney or the county or district attorney's designee shall file a motion to |
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612 | 612 | | terminate parental rights or a motion to appoint a permanent custodian |
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613 | 613 | | within 30 days and the court shall set a hearing on such motion within 90 |
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614 | 614 | | days of the filing of such motion. |
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615 | 615 | | (j) If the court enters an order terminating parental rights to a child, or |
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616 | 616 | | an agency has accepted a relinquishment pursuant to K.S.A. 59-2124, and |
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617 | 617 | | amendments thereto, the requirements for permanency hearings shall |
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618 | 618 | | continue until an adoption or appointment of a permanent custodian has |
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619 | 619 | | been accomplished. If the court determines that reasonable efforts or |
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620 | 620 | | progress have not been made toward finding an adoptive placement or |
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621 | 621 | | appointment of a permanent custodian or placement with a fit and willing |
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622 | 622 | | relative, the court may rescind its prior orders and make others regarding |
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623 | 623 | | custody and adoption that are appropriate under the circumstances. |
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624 | 624 | | Reports of a proposed adoptive placement need not contain the identity of |
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625 | 625 | | the proposed adoptive parents. |
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626 | 626 | | (k) If permanency with one parent has been achieved without the |
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627 | 627 | | termination of the other parent's rights, the court may, prior to dismissing |
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628 | 628 | | the case, enter child custody orders, including residency and parenting |
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629 | 629 | | time that the court determines to be in the best interests of the child. The |
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630 | 630 | | court shall complete a parenting plan pursuant to K.S.A. 23-3213, and |
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631 | 631 | | amendments thereto. |
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632 | 632 | | (1) Before entering a custody order under this subsection, the court |
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633 | 633 | | shall inquire whether a custody order has been entered or is pending in a |
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677 | 677 | | civil custody case by a court of competent jurisdiction within the state of |
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678 | 678 | | Kansas. |
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679 | 679 | | (2) If a civil custody case has been filed or is pending, a certified |
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680 | 680 | | copy of the custody, residency and parenting time orders shall be filed in |
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681 | 681 | | the civil custody case. The court in the civil custody case may, after |
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682 | 682 | | consultation with the court in the child in need of care case, enter an order |
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683 | 683 | | declaring that the custody order in the child in need of care case shall |
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684 | 684 | | become the custody order in the civil custody case. |
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685 | 685 | | (3) A district court, on its own motion or upon the motion of any |
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686 | 686 | | party, may order the consolidation of the child in need of care case with |
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687 | 687 | | any open civil custody case involving the child and both of the child's |
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688 | 688 | | parents. Custody, residency and parenting time orders entered in |
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689 | 689 | | consolidated child in need of care and civil custody cases take precedence |
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690 | 690 | | over any previous orders affecting both parents and the child that were |
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691 | 691 | | entered in the civil custody case regarding the same or related issues. |
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692 | 692 | | Following entry of a custody order in a consolidated case, the court shall |
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693 | 693 | | dismiss the child in need of care case and, if necessary, return the civil |
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694 | 694 | | custody case to the original court having jurisdiction over it. |
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695 | 695 | | (4) If no civil custody case has been filed, the court may direct the |
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696 | 696 | | parties to file a civil custody case and to file the custody orders from the |
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697 | 697 | | child in need of care case in that case. Costs of the civil custody case may |
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698 | 698 | | be assessed to the parties. |
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699 | 699 | | (5) Nothing in this subsection shall operate to expand access to |
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700 | 700 | | information that is confidential under K.S.A. 38-2209, and amendments |
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701 | 701 | | thereto, and the confidentiality of such information shall be preserved in |
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702 | 702 | | all filings in a civil custody case. |
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703 | 703 | | (l) When permanency has been achieved to the satisfaction of the |
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704 | 704 | | court, the court shall enter an order closing the case. |
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705 | 705 | | Sec. 4. K.S.A. 38-2264 and K.S.A. 2023 Supp. 38-2243 are hereby |
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706 | 706 | | repealed. |
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707 | 707 | | Sec. 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its |
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708 | 708 | | publication in the statute book. |
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