Bill > HB2035

This bill amends Arizona law to prioritize placing children removed from their homes with relatives, extended family members, or individuals with a significant relationship to the child, defining "extended family member" as an adult connected by marriage to a biological family member. The legislation strengthens requirements for the Department of Child Safety (DCS) to diligently search for and notify these individuals when a child is taken into custody, and it presumes that placement with such individuals is in the child's best interest, requiring courts to make written findings of fact and conclusions of law. It also expands the rights of children in foster care and kinship foster care, including the right to be updated on efforts to place them with relatives or siblings, and clarifies procedures for preliminary protective and initial dependency hearings, emphasizing the importance of identifying and considering kinship placements.

Government Affairs, Health and Social Services

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/83577