Bill > H2235

This bill allows a child who is at least 12 years old to petition the court to have their parental rights reinstated if adoption is no longer the permanency plan for them and their parental rights were terminated at least two years prior. A permanency plan is the court's long-term goal for a child in foster care, such as adoption or guardianship. The child must sign the petition unless there's a good reason they can't, and the court will hold a hearing, notifying the former parents. If the court finds, by a preponderance of the evidence (meaning it's more likely than not), that reinstating parental rights is in the child's best interest, the petition will be granted, and any previous court orders that allowed for adoption or other arrangements without the parent's consent or notice will be canceled. This provision applies even if the two-year period has already passed before the bill becomes law.