Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3
4	4	Req. No. 302 Page 1 1
5	5	2
6	6	3
7	7	4
8	8	5
9	9	6
10	10	7
11	11	8
12	12	9
13	13	10
14	14	11
15	15	12
16	16	13
17	17	14
18	18	15
19	19	16
20	20	17
21	21	18
22	22	19
23	23	20
24	24	21
25	25	22
26	26	23
27	27	24
28	28	1
29	29	2
30	30	3
31	31	4
32	32	5
33	33	6
34	34	7
35	35	8
36	36	9
37	37	10
38	38	11
39	39	12
40	40	13
41	41	14
42	42	15
43	43	16
44	44	17
45	45	18
46	46	19
47	47	20
48	48	21
49	49	22
50	50	23
51	51	24
52	52
53	53	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
54	54
55	55	1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
56	56
57	57	SENATE BILL 708 By: Pederson
58	58
59	59
60	60
61	61
62	62
63	63	AS INTRODUCED
64	64
65	65	An Act relating to deprived child proceedin gs;
66	66	amending 10A O.S. 2021, Section 1 -4-306, as amended
67	67	by Section 1, Chapter 34, O.S.L. 202 2 (10A O.S. Supp.
68	68	2022, Section 1-4-306), which relates to appointment
69	69	of counsel; requiring court to make and record
70	70	certain findings; upda ting statutory language; and
71	71	providing an effective date .
72	72
73	73
74	74
75	75
76	76
77	77	BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF O KLAHOMA:
78	78	SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 10A O.S. 2021, Section 1 -4-306, as
79	79	amended by Section 1, Chapter 34, O.S.L. 2022 (10A O.S. Supp. 2022,
80	80	Section 1-4-306), is amended to read as follo ws:
81	81	Section 1-4-306.
82	82	A. 1. a. If a parent or legal guardian of the child requests an
83	83	attorney and is found to be indigent, counsel may be
84	84	appointed by the court at the emergency custody
85	85	hearing and shall be appointed if a petition has been
86	86	filed alleging that the child is a deprived child;
87	87	provided, that the court may appoint counsel without
88	88	such request if it deems representation by counsel
89	89
90	90
91	91	Req. No. 302 Page 2 1
92	92	2
93	93	3
94	94	4
95	95	5
96	96	6
97	97	7
98	98	8
99	99	9
100	100	10
101	101	11
102	102	12
103	103	13
104	104	14
105	105	15
106	106	16
107	107	17
108	108	18
109	109	19
110	110	20
111	111	21
112	112	22
113	113	23
114	114	24
115	115	1
116	116	2
117	117	3
118	118	4
119	119	5
120	120	6
121	121	7
122	122	8
123	123	9
124	124	10
125	125	11
126	126	12
127	127	13
128	128	14
129	129	15
130	130	16
131	131	17
132	132	18
133	133	19
134	134	20
135	135	21
136	136	22
137	137	23
138	138	24
139	139
140	140	necessary to protect the interest of t he parent, legal
141	141	guardian, or custodian.
142	142	b. The court shall not be requir ed to appoint an attorney
143	143	for any person other than a par ent or legal guardian
144	144	of the child pursuant to the provisions of this
145	145	paragraph.
146	146	2. a. The court may appoint an attorney or a guardian ad
147	147	litem for the child when an emergency custody hearing
148	148	is held; provided, that when a petition is filed
149	149	alleging the child to be deprived, the court shall
150	150	appoint a separate attorney for the child, who shall
151	151	not be a district attorney, regardles s of any
152	152	attempted waiver by the parent, legal guardian or
153	153	custodian of the child of the right of the chi ld to be
154	154	represented by counsel. The child’s attorney shall be
155	155	independent of and not selected by the district
156	156	attorney, the child’s parent, legal guardian, or
157	157	custodian. If financially capable, the parent, legal
158	158	guardian or custodian shall reimburse the Court Fund
159	159	for the services of a court-appointed attorney for the
160	160	child.
161	161	b. The attorney appointed for the child shall make
162	162	arrangements to meet with the child as soon as
163	163	possible after receiving notification of the
164	164
165	165
166	166	Req. No. 302 Page 3 1
167	167	2
168	168	3
169	169	4
170	170	5
171	171	6
172	172	7
173	173	8
174	174	9
175	175	10
176	176	11
177	177	12
178	178	13
179	179	14
180	180	15
181	181	16
182	182	17
183	183	18
184	184	19
185	185	20
186	186	21
187	187	22
188	188	23
189	189	24
190	190	1
191	191	2
192	192	3
193	193	4
194	194	5
195	195	6
196	196	7
197	197	8
198	198	9
199	199	10
200	200	11
201	201	12
202	202	13
203	203	14
204	204	15
205	205	16
206	206	17
207	207	18
208	208	19
209	209	20
210	210	21
211	211	22
212	212	23
213	213	24
214	214
215	215	appointment. Except for good cause sho wn, the
216	216	attorney shall meet with the child prior to any
217	217	hearing in such proceeding. The attorney may speak
218	218	with the child over the telephone if a pers onal visit
219	219	is not possible due to exigent circumstances . If a
220	220	meaningful attorney-client relationship be tween the
221	221	child and the attorney is prohibited due to age or
222	222	disability of the child, the attorney shall contact
223	223	the custodian or caretaker of the chil d prior to the
224	224	hearing.
225	225	c. The attorney shall represent the child and an y
226	226	expressed interests of the chil d. To the extent that
227	227	a child is unable to express an interest, either
228	228	because the child is preverbal, very young or for any
229	229	reason is incapable of ju dgment and meaningful
230	230	communication, the attorney shall substitute his o r
231	231	her judgment for that of the ch ild and formulate and
232	232	present a position which serves the best interest s of
233	233	the child. Such formulation must be accomplished
234	234	through the use of object ive criteria rather than
235	235	solely the life experience or instinct of the
236	236	attorney. The objective criteria shall include, but
237	237	not be limited to:
238	238
239	239
240	240	Req. No. 302 Page 4 1
241	241	2
242	242	3
243	243	4
244	244	5
245	245	6
246	246	7
247	247	8
248	248	9
249	249	10
250	250	11
251	251	12
252	252	13
253	253	14
254	254	15
255	255	16
256	256	17
257	257	18
258	258	19
259	259	20
260	260	21
261	261	22
262	262	23
263	263	24
264	264	1
265	265	2
266	266	3
267	267	4
268	268	5
269	269	6
270	270	7
271	271	8
272	272	9
273	273	10
274	274	11
275	275	12
276	276	13
277	277	14
278	278	15
279	279	16
280	280	17
281	281	18
282	282	19
283	283	20
284	284	21
285	285	22
286	286	23
287	287	24
288	288
289	289	(1) a determination of the circum stances of the child
290	290	through a full and efficient investigation,
291	291	(2) assessment of the child at the moment of the
292	292	determination,
293	293	(3) examination of all options in light of the
294	294	permanency plans available to th e child, and
295	295	(4) utilization of medical, mental health and
296	296	educational professionals, social workers and
297	297	other related experts.
298	298	The attorney shall make such further inquiry as the attorney
299	299	deems necessary to ascertain the facts, to i nterview witnesses,
300	300	examine and cross-examine witnesses, make recommend ations to the
301	301	court and participate further in the proceedings to the degree
302	302	appropriate for adequately representing the interests of the child .
303	303	A child is a party to all deprived proc eedings and is therefor e able
304	304	to participate as fully as the parents an d the district attorney in
305	305	all aspects of the proceedings including, but not lim ited to, voir
306	306	dire, cross-examination, the subpoena of witnesses, and op ening and
307	307	closing statements.
308	308	3. At each hearing, the c ourt shall make a finding as to
309	309	whether the attorney appointed for the child has complied with the
310	310	requirements set forth in paragraph 2 of this subsection and record
311	311	such finding in the uniform order req uired pursuant to Section 1-4-
312	312	503 of this title.
313	313
314	314
315	315	Req. No. 302 Page 5 1
316	316	2
317	317	3
318	318	4
319	319	5
320	320	6
321	321	7
322	322	8
323	323	9
324	324	10
325	325	11
326	326	12
327	327	13
328	328	14
329	329	15
330	330	16
331	331	17
332	332	18
333	333	19
334	334	20
335	335	21
336	336	22
337	337	23
338	338	24
339	339	1
340	340	2
341	341	3
342	342	4
343	343	5
344	344	6
345	345	7
346	346	8
347	347	9
348	348	10
349	349	11
350	350	12
351	351	13
352	352	14
353	353	15
354	354	16
355	355	17
356	356	18
357	357	19
358	358	20
359	359	21
360	360	22
361	361	23
362	362	24
363	363
364	364	4. The attorney shall be allowed a reasonable fee for such
365	365	services as determined by the court.
366	366	4. 5. When an attorney is required to travel to more than o ne
367	367	district court location in order to represent a parent, a child, or
368	368	children whom the attorney has been court-appointed to represent,
369	369	the court may in its discretion allo w the attorney a reasonable
370	370	reimbursement for mileage.
371	371	5. 6. The court shall ensure t hat the child is represented by
372	372	independent counsel throughout the pende ncy of the deprived action.
373	373	B. 1. After a petition is filed, the court shall appoint a
374	374	guardian ad litem upon the request of the child or the attorney of
375	375	the child, and may appoint a guardian ad litem sua sponte or upon
376	376	the request of the Department of H uman Services, a licensed child-
377	377	placing agency, or another party to the action.
378	378	2. A guardian ad litem shall not be a district attorney, an
379	379	employee of the office of the district atto rney, the child’s
380	380	attorney, an employee of th e court, an employee of a j uvenile
381	381	bureau, or an employee of any public agency having duties or
382	382	responsibilities towards the child.
383	383	3. The guardian ad litem shall be appointed to objectively
384	384	advocate on behalf of the child and act as an officer of the cou rt
385	385	to investigate all matt ers concerning the best interests of the
386	386	child. In addition to other duties required by the court and as
387	387
388	388
389	389	Req. No. 302 Page 6 1
390	390	2
391	391	3
392	392	4
393	393	5
394	394	6
395	395	7
396	396	8
397	397	9
398	398	10
399	399	11
400	400	12
401	401	13
402	402	14
403	403	15
404	404	16
405	405	17
406	406	18
407	407	19
408	408	20
409	409	21
410	410	22
411	411	23
412	412	24
413	413	1
414	414	2
415	415	3
416	416	4
417	417	5
418	418	6
419	419	7
420	420	8
421	421	9
422	422	10
423	423	11
424	424	12
425	425	13
426	426	14
427	427	15
428	428	16
429	429	17
430	430	18
431	431	19
432	432	20
433	433	21
434	434	22
435	435	23
436	436	24
437	437
438	438	specified by the court, a guardian ad litem shall have the following
439	439	responsibilities:
440	440	a. review documents, reports, records and other
441	441	information relevant to the case, meet with and
442	442	observe the child in appropriate settings, including
443	443	the child’s current placement, and interview parents,
444	444	foster parents, health care providers, child
445	445	protective services workers and any other per son with
446	446	knowledge relevant to the case,
447	447	b. advocate for the best interests of the child by
448	448	participating in the case, atten ding any hearings in
449	449	the matter and advocating for appropriate services for
450	450	the child when necessary,
451	451	c. monitor the best interests of the child throughout any
452	452	judicial proceeding, and
453	453	d. present written reports on the best interests of the
454	454	child that include conclusions and recommendations and
455	455	the facts upon which they are based.
456	456	4. The guardian ad litem shall be given access to the court
457	457	files and agency files and access to all documents, reports, records
458	458	and other information relevant to the case and to any records and
459	459	reports of examination of the child ’s parent or other custodian,
460	460	made pursuant to the laws relating to child abuse and neglect
461	461	including reports generated by service providers.
462	462
463	463
464	464	Req. No. 302 Page 7 1
465	465	2
466	466	3
467	467	4
468	468	5
469	469	6
470	470	7
471	471	8
472	472	9
473	473	10
474	474	11
475	475	12
476	476	13
477	477	14
478	478	15
479	479	16
480	480	17
481	481	18
482	482	19
483	483	20
484	484	21
485	485	22
486	486	23
487	487	24
488	488	1
489	489	2
490	490	3
491	491	4
492	492	5
493	493	6
494	494	7
495	495	8
496	496	9
497	497	10
498	498	11
499	499	12
500	500	13
501	501	14
502	502	15
503	503	16
504	504	17
505	505	18
506	506	19
507	507	20
508	508	21
509	509	22
510	510	23
511	511	24
512	512
513	513	5. The Oklahoma Bar Association shall develop a standard
514	514	operating manual for guardians ad litem which shall include, but not
515	515	be limited to, legal o bligations and responsibilities, information
516	516	concerning child abuse, child development, domestic abuse, sexual
517	517	abuse, and parent and child behavioral health and manageme nt
518	518	including best practices . After publication of the manual, all
519	519	guardians ad litem s hall certify to the court in which he or she is
520	520	appointed as a guardian ad litem that the manual has been read and
521	521	all provisions contained therein are understood . The guardian ad
522	522	litem shall also certify that he or she agrees to follow the best
523	523	practices described within the standard operating manu al. The
524	524	Administrative Office of the Courts shall provide public access to
525	525	the standard operating manual by providing a lin k to the manual on
526	526	the Oklahoma State Courts Network (OSCN) website.
527	527	C. 1. Whenever a court-appointed special advocate program is
528	528	available to the court to serve as a guardian ad litem, priority may
529	529	be given to appointment of the court -appointed special advocate to
530	530	serve as guardian ad litem for the child regardless of whether a
531	531	guardian ad litem has been requested pursuant to the pr ovisions of
532	532	this subsection.
533	533	2. For purposes of the Oklahoma Children’s Code, a “court-
534	534	appointed special advocate ” and a “guardian ad litem” shall have the
535	535	same function except as otherwise provided by law . In like manner,
536	536	a court-appointed special advoc ate, except as specifically otherwise
537	537
538	538
539	539	Req. No. 302 Page 8 1
540	540	2
541	541	3
542	542	4
543	543	5
544	544	6
545	545	7
546	546	8
547	547	9
548	548	10
549	549	11
550	550	12
551	551	13
552	552	14
553	553	15
554	554	16
555	555	17
556	556	18
557	557	19
558	558	20
559	559	21
560	560	22
561	561	23
562	562	24
563	563	1
564	564	2
565	565	3
566	566	4
567	567	5
568	568	6
569	569	7
570	570	8
571	571	9
572	572	10
573	573	11
574	574	12
575	575	13
576	576	14
577	577	15
578	578	16
579	579	17
580	580	18
581	581	19
582	582	20
583	583	21
584	584	22
585	585	23
586	586	24
587	587
588	588	provided by law or by the court, shall have the same power, duties,
589	589	and responsibilities as assigned to a guardian ad litem by law and
590	590	shall have such other qualifications, duties, and responsibilities
591	591	as may be prescribed by rule by the Supreme Court.
592	592	3. A court-appointed special advocate shall serve without
593	593	compensation.
594	594	SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.
595	595
596	596	59-1-302 TEK 1/18/2023 2:27:32 PM

Oklahoma 2023 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB708 Compare Versions