Colorado Legislative Council Staff

NO FISCAL IMPACT


Drafting Number:

Prime Sponsor(s):

LLS 98-714

Rep. Saliman

Sen. B. Alexander

Date:

Bill Status:

Fiscal Analyst:

February 5, 1998

House Judiciary

Janis Baron (866-3523)

 

TITLE:            CONCERNING TERMINATION OF THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP WHEN THE PARENT OF A YOUNG CHILD IS IN LONG-TERM CONFINEMENT.



Summary of Assessment


            The bill includes the following provisions:

 

               adds a basis for terminating the parent-child relationship wherein the child was less than one year of age (at the time of the filing of the dependency and neglect petition), and the parent is in long-term confinement and ineligible for parole for at least 18 months after the date of the adjudication;

 

               conforms the expedited procedure for children who are under six years of age; and

 

               is effective at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the ninety-day period after adjournment sine die of the General Assembly, or on the date of the official declaration of the vote of the people as proclaimed by the Governor, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to Article V, Section 1 (3) of the State Constitution.


            According to the Department of Human Services, there are less than 80 children in placement whose parent is incarcerated for a term longer than 18 months. In these cases, current law allows for the filing of a petition to terminate parental rights. The length of incarceration relative to the child’s age, specified in the bill, is not anticipated to significantly increase the number of filings to terminate parental rights. Therefore, the bill is assessed as having no fiscal impact.



Departments Contacted


            Human Services

            Judicial