New Mexico 2025 Regular Session

New Mexico Senate Bill SB406 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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28	28	SENATE BILL 406
29	29	57
30	30	TH LEGISLATURE
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33	33	STATE
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39	39	MEXICO
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42	42	FIRST SESSION
43	43	,
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45	45	2025
46	46	INTRODUCED BY
47	47	Linda M. López and Antoinette Sedillo Lopez
48	48	AN ACT
49	49	RELATING TO CHILD WELFARE; REMOVING A PRESUMPTION OF
50	50	ABANDONMENT AS A BASIS TO CONSIDER TERMINATION OF PARENTAL
51	51	RIGHTS IN ABUSE OR NEGLECT CASES.
52	52	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
53	53	SECTION 1. Section 32A-4-28 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1993,
54	54	Chapter 77, Section 122, as amended) is amended to read:
55	55	"32A-4-28. TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS--ADOPTION
56	56	DECREE.--
57	57	A. In proceedings to terminate parental rights, the
58	58	court shall give primary consideration to the physical, mental
59	59	and emotional welfare and needs of the child, including the
60	60	likelihood of the child being adopted if parental rights are
61	61	terminated.
62	62	B. The court shall terminate parental rights with
63	63	.230560.1 underscored material = new
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90	90	respect to a child when:
91	91	(1) there has been an abandonment of the child
92	92	by the child's parents; or
93	93	(2) the child has been a neglected or abused
94	94	child as defined in the Abuse and Neglect Act and the court
95	95	finds that the conditions and causes of the neglect and abuse
96	96	are unlikely to change in the foreseeable future despite
97	97	reasonable efforts by the department or other appropriate
98	98	agency to assist the parent in adjusting the conditions that
99	99	render the parent unable to properly care for the child. The
100	100	court may find in some cases that efforts by the department or
101	101	another agency are unnecessary, when:
102	102	(a) there is a clear showing that the
103	103	efforts would be futile; or
104	104	(b) the parent has subjected the child
105	105	to aggravated circumstances [or
106	106	(3) the child has been placed in the care of
107	107	others, including care by other relatives, either by a court
108	108	order or otherwise and the following conditions exist:
109	109	(a) the child has lived in the home of
110	110	others for an extended period of time;
111	111	(b) the parent-child relationship has
112	112	disintegrated;
113	113	(c) a psychological parent-child
114	114	relationship has developed between the substitute family and
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143	143	the child;
144	144	(d) if the court deems the child of
145	145	sufficient capacity to express a preference, the child no
146	146	longer prefers to live with the natural parent;
147	147	(e) the substitute family desires to
148	148	adopt the child; and
149	149	(f) a presumption of abandonment created
150	150	by the conditions described in Subparagraphs (a) through (e) of
151	151	this paragraph has not been rebutted.
152	152	C. A finding by the court that all of the
153	153	conditions set forth in Subparagraphs (a) through (f) of
154	154	Paragraph (3) of Subsection B of this section exist shall
155	155	create a rebuttable presumption of abandonment ].
156	156	[D.] C. The department shall not file a motion, and
157	157	shall not join a motion filed by another party, to terminate
158	158	parental rights:
159	159	(1) when the sole factual basis for the motion
160	160	is that a child's parent is or was formerly incarcerated; or
161	161	(2) if the motion is based, to any extent, on
162	162	the fact that the child is an Indian child or that the child's
163	163	parent or parents are Indian.
164	164	[E.] D. If the court finds that parental rights
165	165	should be terminated; that the requirements for the adoption of
166	166	a child have been satisfied; that the prospective adoptive
167	167	parent is a party to the action; and that good cause exists to
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196	196	waive the filing of a separate petition for adoption, the court
197	197	may proceed to grant adoption of the child, absent an appeal of
198	198	the termination of parental rights. The court shall not waive
199	199	any time requirements set forth in the Adoption Act [unless the
200	200	termination of parental rights occurred pursuant to the
201	201	provisions of Paragraph (3) of Subsection B of this section ].
202	202	The court may enter a decree of adoption only after finding
203	203	that the party seeking to adopt the child has satisfied all of
204	204	the requirements set forth in the Adoption Act. Unless
205	205	otherwise stipulated by all parties, an adoption decree shall
206	206	take effect sixty days after the termination of parental
207	207	rights, to allow the department sufficient time to provide
208	208	counseling for the child and otherwise prepare the child for
209	209	the adoption. The adoption decree shall conform to the
210	210	requirements of the Adoption Act and shall have the same force
211	211	and effect as other adoption decrees entered pursuant to that
212	212	act. The court clerk shall assign an adoption case number to
213	213	the adoption decree."
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