HF 320 (LSB 1850YH (7) 87)

HOUSE FILE 320

BY  JONES

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the grounds for termination of parental rights in child in need of assistance cases.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 232.116, subsection 1, paragraph e, subparagraph (2), Code 2017, is amended to read as follows:
   (2)  The child has been removed from or was not placed in the physical custody of the child’s parents for a period of at least six consecutive months.
    Sec. 2.  Section 232.116, subsection 1, paragraph f, subparagraph (3), Code 2017, is amended to read as follows:
   (3)  The child has been removed from or was not placed in the physical custody of the child’s parents for at least twelve of the last eighteen months, or for the last twelve consecutive months and any trial period at home has been less than thirty days.
    Sec. 3.  Section 232.116, subsection 1, paragraph h, subparagraph (3), Code 2017, is amended to read as follows:
   (3)  The child has been removed from or was not placed in the physical custody of the child’s parents for at least six months of the last twelve months, or for the last six consecutive months and any trial period at home has been less than thirty days.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to grounds for the termination of parental rights under Code chapter 232 when a child has been adjudicated a child in need of assistance. 
   The bill amends existing grounds for termination of parental rights that each include as an element that the child has been removed from the physical custody of the child’s parent for a specified period of time. The bill amends this element to require that either the child has been removed from or was not placed in the physical custody of the child’s parent for a specified period of time.