2 | | - | AN ACT concerning minors; relating to the revised Kansas code for care of children; |
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3 | | - | determining when a law enforcement officer may or shall take a child into custody; |
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4 | | - | requiring the secretary for children and families to provide means for a law |
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5 | | - | enforcement officer to refer potential cases of abuse or neglect and that the secretary |
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6 | | - | provide a response to such referrals within 24 hours; requiring the court to review |
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7 | | - | parent and interested party involvement in permanency planning; requiring that a |
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8 | | - | permanency hearing for a child in custody of the secretary be held within nine |
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9 | | - | months of such child's removal from such child's home and subsequent hearings be |
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10 | | - | held every six months thereafter; amending K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 38-2231 and 38-2264 |
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11 | | - | and repealing the existing sections. |
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| 3 | + | By Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care |
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| 4 | + | Requested by Laura Howard, Secretary for Children and Families |
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| 5 | + | 1-23 |
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| 6 | + | AN ACT concerning minors; relating to the revised Kansas code for care |
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| 7 | + | of children; requiring that a permanency hearing for a child in custody |
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| 8 | + | of the secretary be held within nine months of such child's removal |
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| 9 | + | from such child's home; amending K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 38-2264 and |
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| 10 | + | repealing the existing section. |
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13 | | - | Section 1. K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 38-2231 is hereby amended to read |
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14 | | - | as follows: 38-2231. (a) A law enforcement officer or court services |
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15 | | - | officer shall take a child under 18 years of age into custody when: |
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16 | | - | (1) The law enforcement officer or court services officer has a |
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17 | | - | court order commanding that the child be taken into custody as a child |
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18 | | - | in need of care; or |
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19 | | - | (2) the law enforcement officer or court services officer has |
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20 | | - | probable cause to believe that a court order commanding that the child |
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21 | | - | be taken into custody as a child in need of care has been issued in this |
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22 | | - | state or in another jurisdiction. |
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23 | | - | (b) A law enforcement officer shall take a child under 18 years of |
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24 | | - | age into custody when the officer: |
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25 | | - | (1) Reasonably believes the child will be harmed if not |
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26 | | - | immediately removed from the place or residence where the child has |
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27 | | - | been found; or |
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28 | | - | (2) has probable cause to believe that the child is a runaway or a |
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29 | | - | missing person or a verified missing person entry for the child can be |
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30 | | - | found in the national crime information center missing person system; |
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31 | | - | (3) reasonably believes the child is a victim of human trafficking, |
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32 | | - | aggravated human trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation of a |
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33 | | - | child; or |
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34 | | - | (4) reasonably believes the child is experiencing a behavioral |
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35 | | - | health crisis and is likely to cause harm to self or others. |
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36 | | - | (c) A law enforcement officer shall explore other options to |
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37 | | - | separate the child from the source of harm before removal of such child |
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38 | | - | as provided in subsection (b). |
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39 | | - | (d) The secretary shall provide an electronic means of |
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40 | | - | communication for a responding law enforcement officer to refer a |
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41 | | - | child who may be a victim of abuse or neglect to the secretary. The |
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42 | | - | secretary shall receive such referrals and, within 24 hours, initiate an |
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43 | | - | investigation of abuse or neglect and contact the persons who are the |
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44 | | - | subject of such investigation. Then, within 24 hours of such contact, the |
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45 | | - | secretary shall respond to the referring law enforcement agency with |
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46 | | - | the status of the investigation. |
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47 | | - | (e) A law enforcement officer shall take a child under 18 years of |
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48 | | - | age into custody when the officer: |
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49 | | - | (1) Has probable cause to believe that the child is a runaway or a |
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50 | | - | missing person or a verified missing person entry for the child can be |
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51 | | - | found in the national crime information center missing person system; |
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52 | | - | or |
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53 | | - | (2) reasonably believes that the child is a victim of human |
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54 | | - | trafficking, aggravated human trafficking or commercial sexual |
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55 | | - | exploitation of a child. |
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56 | | - | (f) (1) If a person provides shelter to a child whom the person |
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57 | | - | knows is a runaway, such person shall promptly report the child's |
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58 | | - | location either to a law enforcement agency or to the child's parent or |
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59 | | - | other custodian. |
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60 | | - | (2) If a person reports a runaway's location to a law enforcement |
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61 | | - | agency pursuant to this section and a law enforcement officer of the |
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62 | | - | agency has reasonable grounds to believe that it is in the child's best |
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63 | | - | interests, the child may be allowed to remain in the place where shelter |
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64 | | - | is being provided, subject to subsection (b) (e), in the absence of a court |
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65 | | - | order to the contrary. If the child is allowed to so remain, the law |
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66 | | - | enforcement agency shall promptly notify the secretary of the child's HOUSE BILL No. 2075—page 2 |
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67 | | - | location and circumstances. |
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68 | | - | (d)(g) Except as provided in subsections (a) and, (b) and (e), a law |
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69 | | - | enforcement officer may temporarily detain and assume temporary |
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70 | | - | custody of any child subject to compulsory school attendance, pursuant |
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71 | | - | to K.S.A. 72-3120, and amendments thereto, during the hours school is |
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72 | | - | actually in session and shall deliver the child pursuant to K.S.A. 38- |
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73 | | - | 2232(g), and amendments thereto. |
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74 | | - | Sec. 2. K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 38-2264 is hereby amended to read as |
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75 | | - | follows: 38-2264. (a) A permanency hearing is a proceeding conducted |
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76 | | - | by the court or by a citizen review board for the purpose of determining |
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77 | | - | progress toward accomplishment of a permanency plan as established |
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78 | | - | by K.S.A. 38-2263, and amendments thereto. |
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79 | | - | (b) The court or a citizen review board shall hear and the court |
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80 | | - | shall determine whether and, if applicable, when the child will be: |
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| 12 | + | Section 1. K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 38-2264 is hereby amended to read as |
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| 13 | + | follows: 38-2264. (a) A permanency hearing is a proceeding conducted by |
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| 14 | + | the court or by a citizen review board for the purpose of determining |
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| 15 | + | progress toward accomplishment of a permanency plan as established by |
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| 16 | + | K.S.A. 38-2263, and amendments thereto. |
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| 17 | + | (b) The court or a citizen review board shall hear and the court shall |
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| 18 | + | determine whether and, if applicable, when the child will be: |
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92 | | - | (1) Review with all present parties, including parents and |
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93 | | - | interested parties, the current permanency goal and, on the record, |
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94 | | - | inquire of each party whether each party: (A) Participated in the most |
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95 | | - | recent permanency plan; (B) received a copy of such plan; and (C) has |
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96 | | - | made reasonable efforts to achieve the permanency goal in place at the |
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97 | | - | time of the hearing. If a party did not participate in such plan, the |
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98 | | - | court shall inquire the reasoning for nonparticipation. If a party did |
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99 | | - | not receive a copy of the most recent permanency plan, the court shall |
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100 | | - | order the secretary to provide such party with such copy within two |
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101 | | - | business days of entering such order. |
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102 | | - | (2) Enter a finding as to whether reasonable efforts have been |
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103 | | - | made by appropriate public or private agencies to rehabilitate the |
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104 | | - | family and achieve the permanency goal in place at the time of the |
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105 | | - | hearing; |
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106 | | - | (2)(3) enter a finding as to whether the reasonable and prudent |
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107 | | - | parenting standard has been met and whether the child has regular, |
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108 | | - | ongoing opportunities to engage in age or developmentally appropriate |
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109 | | - | activities. The secretary shall report to the court the steps the secretary |
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110 | | - | is taking to ensure that the child's foster family home or child care |
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111 | | - | institution is following the reasonable and prudent parenting standard |
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112 | | - | and that the child has regular, ongoing opportunities to engage in age or |
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113 | | - | developmentally appropriate activities, including consultation with the |
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114 | | - | child in an age-appropriate manner about the opportunities of the child |
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115 | | - | to participate in the activities; and |
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116 | | - | (3)(4) if the child is 14 years of age or older, document the efforts |
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117 | | - | made by the secretary to help the child prepare for the transition from |
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118 | | - | custody to a successful adulthood. The secretary shall report to the |
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119 | | - | court the programs and services that are being provided to the child that |
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120 | | - | will help the child prepare for the transition from custody to a |
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121 | | - | successful adulthood. |
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| 29 | + | (1) Enter a finding as to whether reasonable efforts have been made |
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| 30 | + | by appropriate public or private agencies to rehabilitate the family and |
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| 31 | + | achieve the permanency goal in place at the time of the hearing; |
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| 32 | + | (2) enter a finding as to whether the reasonable and prudent parenting |
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| 33 | + | standard has been met and whether the child has regular, ongoing |
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| 34 | + | opportunities to engage in age or developmentally appropriate activities. |
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| 35 | + | The secretary shall report to the court the steps the secretary is taking to |
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| 36 | + | ensure that the child's foster family home or child care institution is |
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| 37 | + | following the reasonable and prudent parenting standard and that the child |
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| 38 | + | has regular, ongoing opportunities to engage in age or developmentally |
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| 39 | + | appropriate activities, including consultation with the child in an age- |
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| 75 | + | appropriate manner about the opportunities of the child to participate in the |
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| 76 | + | activities; and |
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| 77 | + | (3) if the child is 14 years of age or older, document the efforts made |
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| 78 | + | by the secretary to help the child prepare for the transition from custody to |
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| 79 | + | a successful adulthood. The secretary shall report to the court the programs |
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| 80 | + | and services that are being provided to the child that will help the child |
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| 81 | + | prepare for the transition from custody to a successful adulthood. |
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124 | | - | permanent living arrangement as described in subsection (b)(5). At |
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125 | | - | each permanency hearing held with respect to the child, in addition to |
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126 | | - | the requirements of subsection (c), the court shall: |
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127 | | - | (1) Ask the child, if the child is able, by attendance at the hearing |
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128 | | - | or by report to the court, about the desired permanency outcome for the |
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129 | | - | child; |
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130 | | - | (2) document the intensive, ongoing and, as of the date of the HOUSE BILL No. 2075—page 3 |
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131 | | - | hearing, unsuccessful permanency efforts made by the secretary to |
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132 | | - | return the child home or secure a placement for the child with a fit and |
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133 | | - | willing relative, a legal custodian or guardian or an adoptive parent. |
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134 | | - | The secretary shall report to the court the intensive, ongoing and, as of |
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135 | | - | the date of the hearing, unsuccessful efforts made by the secretary to |
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136 | | - | return the child home or secure a placement for the child with a fit and |
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137 | | - | willing relative, a legal custodian or guardian or an adoptive parent, |
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138 | | - | including efforts that utilize search technology, including social media, |
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139 | | - | to find biological family members of the children child; and |
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| 84 | + | permanent living arrangement as described in subsection (b)(5). At each |
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| 85 | + | permanency hearing held with respect to the child, in addition to the |
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| 86 | + | requirements of subsection (c), the court shall: |
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| 87 | + | (1) Ask the child, if the child is able, by attendance at the hearing or |
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| 88 | + | by report to the court, about the desired permanency outcome for the child; |
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| 89 | + | (2) document the intensive, ongoing and, as of the date of the hearing, |
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| 90 | + | unsuccessful permanency efforts made by the secretary to return the child |
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| 91 | + | home or secure a placement for the child with a fit and willing relative, a |
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| 92 | + | legal custodian or guardian or an adoptive parent. The secretary shall |
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| 93 | + | report to the court the intensive, ongoing and, as of the date of the hearing, |
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| 94 | + | unsuccessful efforts made by the secretary to return the child home or |
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| 95 | + | secure a placement for the child with a fit and willing relative, a legal |
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| 96 | + | custodian or guardian or an adoptive parent, including efforts that utilize |
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| 97 | + | search technology, including social media, to find biological family |
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| 98 | + | members of the children; and |
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177 | | - | alternative, the court shall determine whether and, if applicable, when |
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178 | | - | the child will be returned to the parent. The court may rescind any of its |
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179 | | - | prior dispositional orders and enter any dispositional order authorized |
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180 | | - | by this code or may order that a new plan for the reintegration be |
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181 | | - | prepared and submitted to the court. If reintegration cannot be |
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182 | | - | accomplished as approved by the court, the court shall be informed and |
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183 | | - | shall schedule a hearing pursuant to this section. No such hearing is |
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184 | | - | required when the parents voluntarily relinquish parental rights or |
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185 | | - | consent to appointment of a permanent custodian or a SOUL family |
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186 | | - | legal permanency custodian. |
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187 | | - | (i) If the court finds reintegration is no longer a viable alternative, |
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188 | | - | the court shall consider whether: (1) The child is in a stable placement |
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189 | | - | with a relative; (2) services set out in the case plan necessary for the |
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190 | | - | safe return of the child have been made available to the parent with |
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191 | | - | whom reintegration is planned; or (3) compelling reasons are |
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192 | | - | documented in the case plan to support a finding that neither adoption |
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193 | | - | nor appointment of a permanent custodian are in the child's best interest |
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194 | | - | interests. If reintegration is not a viable alternative and either adoption HOUSE BILL No. 2075—page 4 |
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195 | | - | or appointment of a permanent custodian might be in the best interests |
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196 | | - | of the child, the county or district attorney or the county or district |
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197 | | - | attorney's designee shall file a motion to terminate parental rights or a |
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198 | | - | motion to appoint a permanent custodian within 30 days and the court |
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199 | | - | shall set a hearing on such motion within 90 days of the filing of such |
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200 | | - | motion. |
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201 | | - | (j) If the court enters an order terminating parental rights to a |
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202 | | - | child, or an agency has accepted a relinquishment pursuant to K.S.A. |
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203 | | - | 59-2124, and amendments thereto, the requirements for permanency |
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204 | | - | hearings shall continue until an adoption or appointment of a |
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205 | | - | permanent custodian or a SOUL family legal permanency custodian has |
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206 | | - | been accomplished and court jurisdiction has been terminated. If the |
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207 | | - | court determines that reasonable efforts or progress have not been made |
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208 | | - | toward finding an adoptive placement or appointment of a permanent |
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209 | | - | custodian or a SOUL family legal permanency custodian or placement |
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210 | | - | with a fit and willing relative, the court may rescind its prior orders and |
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211 | | - | make others regarding custody and adoption that are appropriate under |
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212 | | - | the circumstances. Reports of a proposed adoptive placement need not |
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213 | | - | contain the identity of the proposed adoptive parents. |
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| 178 | + | alternative, the court shall determine whether and, if applicable, when the |
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| 179 | + | child will be returned to the parent. The court may rescind any of its prior |
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| 180 | + | dispositional orders and enter any dispositional order authorized by this |
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| 181 | + | code or may order that a new plan for the reintegration be prepared and |
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| 182 | + | submitted to the court. If reintegration cannot be accomplished as |
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| 183 | + | approved by the court, the court shall be informed and shall schedule a |
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| 184 | + | hearing pursuant to this section. No such hearing is required when the |
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| 185 | + | parents voluntarily relinquish parental rights or consent to appointment of |
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| 186 | + | a permanent custodian or a SOUL family legal permanency custodian. |
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| 187 | + | (i) If the court finds reintegration is no longer a viable alternative, the |
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| 188 | + | court shall consider whether: (1) The child is in a stable placement with a |
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| 189 | + | relative; (2) services set out in the case plan necessary for the safe return |
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| 190 | + | of the child have been made available to the parent with whom |
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| 191 | + | reintegration is planned; or (3) compelling reasons are documented in the |
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| 192 | + | case plan to support a finding that neither adoption nor appointment of a |
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| 193 | + | permanent custodian are in the child's best interest. If reintegration is not a |
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| 194 | + | viable alternative and either adoption or appointment of a permanent |
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| 195 | + | custodian might be in the best interests of the child, the county or district |
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| 196 | + | attorney or the county or district attorney's designee shall file a motion to |
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| 197 | + | terminate parental rights or a motion to appoint a permanent custodian |
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| 198 | + | within 30 days and the court shall set a hearing on such motion within 90 |
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| 199 | + | days of the filing of such motion. |
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| 200 | + | (j) If the court enters an order terminating parental rights to a child, or |
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| 201 | + | an agency has accepted a relinquishment pursuant to K.S.A. 59-2124, and |
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| 202 | + | amendments thereto, the requirements for permanency hearings shall |
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| 203 | + | continue until an adoption or appointment of a permanent custodian or a |
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| 247 | + | SOUL family legal permanency custodian has been accomplished and |
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| 248 | + | court jurisdiction has been terminated. If the court determines that |
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| 249 | + | reasonable efforts or progress have not been made toward finding an |
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| 250 | + | adoptive placement or appointment of a permanent custodian or a SOUL |
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| 251 | + | family legal permanency custodian or placement with a fit and willing |
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| 252 | + | relative, the court may rescind its prior orders and make others regarding |
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| 253 | + | custody and adoption that are appropriate under the circumstances. |
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| 254 | + | Reports of a proposed adoptive placement need not contain the identity of |
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| 255 | + | the proposed adoptive parents. |
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215 | | - | termination of the other parent's rights, the court may, prior to |
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216 | | - | dismissing the case, enter child custody orders, including residency and |
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217 | | - | parenting time that the court determines to be in the best interests of the |
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218 | | - | child. The court shall complete a parenting plan pursuant to K.S.A. 23- |
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219 | | - | 3213, and amendments thereto. |
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220 | | - | (1) Before entering a custody order under this subsection, the |
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221 | | - | court shall inquire whether a custody order has been entered or is |
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222 | | - | pending in a civil custody case by a court of competent jurisdiction |
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223 | | - | within the state of Kansas. |
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| 257 | + | termination of the other parent's rights, the court may, prior to dismissing |
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| 258 | + | the case, enter child custody orders, including residency and parenting |
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| 259 | + | time that the court determines to be in the best interests of the child. The |
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| 260 | + | court shall complete a parenting plan pursuant to K.S.A. 23-3213, and |
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| 261 | + | amendments thereto. |
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| 262 | + | (1) Before entering a custody order under this subsection, the court |
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| 263 | + | shall inquire whether a custody order has been entered or is pending in a |
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| 264 | + | civil custody case by a court of competent jurisdiction within the state of |
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| 265 | + | Kansas. |
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