REQUIRE RELATIVE DISCLOSURE INFO

WITH ORDER PLACING A CHILD IN FOSTER CARE

House Bill 4737 (Substitute H-1)

Sponsor:  Rep. Robert Dean

Committee:  Families and Children's Services

Complete to 6-6-07

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4737 AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE 6-6-07

The bill would amend the Probate Code of 1939 to require a court order placing a child in foster care to include an order that a child's parent, guardian, or custodian disclose to the Department of Human Services the names, addresses, and other identifying information of any relative of the juvenile.  Providing this information would not guarantee the child would be placed with any identified relative.  The information obtained would be used to assist in the process of determining placement for the child as provided under Section 4A of the Foster Care and Adoption Services Act.

House Bill 4737 is a companion bill to House Bill 4735, which would amend Section 4A and would require that preference and special consideration be given to a child's relatives in before determining where to place a child.  (See the analysis of House Bill 4735 dated 6-6-07).

[Currently under the section of the act being amended, when a court issues an order placing a child in foster care, the court includes an order directing the child's parent, guardian, or custodian to provide the supervising agency with the name and address of each of the child's medical providers and directs the medical providers to release the child's medical records.  The order can specify the providers by profession or type of institution.] 

MCL 712A.13a

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill would have no fiscal impact on the State or local units of government.

POSITIONS:

Department of Human Services supports the bill. (6-6-07)

Office of Children's Ombudsman supports the bill. (6-6-07)

Children's Law Section – State Bar has no position at this time. (6-6-07)

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   E. Best

                                                                                                   Fiscal Analyst:   Bob Schneider

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.