HB 1903: Holding onto hope and preventing family trauma by nurturing relationships between biological parents and their children

HB 1903 concerns parent-child relationships and the trauma of family separation. The bill states that if a court finds that termination of parental rights in a child welfare case is in a child’s best interest, the court shall also examine whether it is in the child’s best interest to have post-termination contact with the parent. The bill outlines how parents whose rights are terminated will be notified of changes in the child’s placement and how a parent whose rights were terminated can petition for visitation with the child who is in custody of the Department. The bill also outlines rules regarding open adoption orders and fines for missing visits with the child and violating contract provisions.