Bill > HB1149

Introduced Session

An Act To Provide A Clear Path To Permanency For Children In The Custody Of The Department Of Child Protection Services; To Amend Section 43-21-201, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That Children Alleged To Have Been Abused Or Neglected Shall Be A Party And Shall Be Represented By Counsel; To Provide That A Party's Right To Representation Shall Extend To Shelter Hearings; To Provide That The Department Of Child Protection Services Shall Be A Necessary Party At All Stages Of The Proceedings Involving A Child For Whom The Department Has Custody Including, But Not Limited To, Shelter, Adjudicatory, Disposition And Permanency Hearings; To Amend Section 43-21-501, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require The Youth Court To Issue A Summons To The Department Of Child Protection Services If A Petition Is Filed That Involves A Child For Whom The Department Has Custody Of Or May Be Awarded Custody Of; To Amend Section 43-21-701, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Add Additional Members To The Mississippi Commission On A Uniform Youth Court System And Procedures; To Revise The Quorum Of The Commission; To Amend Section 43-21-703, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That The Commission Shall File A Report With The Legislature On Or Before A Certain Date; To Amend Section 93-15-107, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Require The Clerk To Docket Termination-of-parental-rights Cases As Priority Cases On The Court's Docket; To Require Immediate Notification To The Assigned Judge Upon Filing; To Amend Section 93-17-3, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Provide That For Adoption Proceedings The Chancery Court Has Original Exclusive Jurisdiction Over All Adoption Proceedings Except When A County Court Sitting As A Youth Court Has Acquired Jurisdiction Of A Child In An Abuse Or Neglect Proceeding; To Provide That The County Court Shall Have Original Exclusive Jurisdiction To Hear A Petition For Adoption Of A Child In An Abuse Or Neglect Proceeding; To Require The Clerk To Docket Adoption Proceedings As Priority Cases On The Court's Docket; To Require Immediate Notification To The Assigned Judge Upon Filing; To Provide That From And After July 1, 2023, The Department Of Child Protection Services Shall Be A State Agency Separate And Apart From The Department Of Human Services And Not A Subagency Housed Within The Department Of Human Services, And Shall Have Such Powers And Duties And Perform Such Functions That Are Assigned To The Department Of Child Protection Services By State Law; To Amend Section 43-26-1, Mississippi Code Of 1972, And To Create New Sections 43-26-5, 43-26-7, 43-26-9, 43-26-11, 43-26-13, 43-26-15, 43-26-17, 43-26-19, 43-26-21 And 43-26-23, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Prescribe The Powers And Duties Of The Department Of Child Protection Services And The Commissioner Of Child Protection Services; To Amend Sections 11-46-1, 11-46-8, 25-1-109, 27-104-203, 37-31-107, 37-106-69, 37-115-43, 41-3-18, 41-67-12, 41-87-5, 41-101-1, 43-1-9, 43-1-101, 43-14-1, 43-14-5, 43-15-3, 43-15-5, 43-15-6, 43-15-7, 43-15-11, 43-15-15, 43-15-19, 43-15-21, 43-15-23, 43-15-103, 43-15-105, 43-15-107, 43-15-109, 43-15-113, 43-15-115, 43-15-117, 43-15-119, 43-15-121, 43-15-125, 43-15-201, 43-15-203, 43-15-207, 43-16-3, 43-16-7, 43-18-3, 43-18-5, 43-21-351, 43-21-354, 43-21-357, 43-21-405, 43-21-603, 43-21-609, 43-21-801, 43-27-101, 43-27-103, 43-27-109, 43-27-113, 43-27-115, 43-27-117, 43-27-119, 43-43-5, 43-51-3, 43-51-5, 43-51-7, 45-33-36, 57-13-23, 93-5-23, 93-17-5, 93-17-8, 93-17-11, 93-17-12, 93-17-53, 93-17-57, 93-17-59, 93-17-61, 93-17-63, 93-17-65, 93-17-101, 93-17-103, 93-17-107, 93-17-109, 93-17-203, 93-17-209, 93-21-305, 93-21-307, 93-21-309, 93-21-311, 93-31-3, 97-5-24, 97-5-39 And 99-41-17, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Conform To The Preceding Provisions; To Amend Section 93-17-11, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Authorize A Court To Order A Home Study If Necessary In Certain Adoptions; To Amend Section 93-17-25, Mississippi Code Of 1972, To Prohibit Certain Persons From Disclosing Information Received During Closed Adoption Hearings Or From Records Pertaining To Adoption Proceedings; To Repeal Sections 43-1-51, 43-1-53, 43-1-57, 43-1-59, 43-1-63, 43-51-1 And 43-51-9, Mississippi Code Of 1972, Which Created The Division Of Family And Children's Services Within The Department Of Human Services, Provides The Title For The Family Preservation Act, And Requires An Ongoing Evaluation And Report On Family Preservation Services; And For Related Purposes.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Otis Anthony (D)*,  Angela Cockerham (I)*,  De'Keither Stamps (D)*, 

Approved by Governor (on 04/19/2023)

Official Document