Bill Text: CA SB926 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended

California Senate Bill 926 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Dependent children: relative placements: disclosure.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2011-07-26 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 132, Statutes of 2011. [SB926 Detail]

Download: California-2011-SB926-Amended.html

BILL NUMBER: SB 926	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 14, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Runner

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2011

   An act to amend Section 361.3 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to dependent children.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 926, as amended, Runner. Dependent children: relative
placements: disclosure.
   Existing law requires that in any case in which a child is removed
from the physical custody of his or her parents due to abuse or
neglect, preferential consideration be given to a request by a
relative of the child for placement of the child with the relative.
Existing law requires the court to authorize the county social
worker, in assessing  relatives   a relative
 for the possibility of placement, to disclose to the relative,
as appropriate, the fact that the child is in custody, the alleged
reasons for the custody, and the projected likely date for the child'
s return home or placement for adoption or legal guardianship.
   This bill would expand those provisions to additionally require
the court to authorize an attorney for the child, or  his or
her   the attorney's agent, to make those
disclosures to the relative  when assessing the relative for
the possibility of placement   who is being assessed for
the possibility of placement  .
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 361.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
   361.3.  (a) In any case in which a child is removed from the
physical custody of his or her parents pursuant to Section 361,
preferential consideration shall be given to a request by a relative
of the child for placement of the child with the relative. In
determining whether placement with a relative is appropriate, the
county social worker and court shall consider, but shall not be
limited to, consideration of all the following factors:
   (1) The best interest of the child, including special physical,
psychological, educational, medical, or emotional needs.
   (2) The wishes of the parent, the relative, and child, if
appropriate.
   (3) The provisions of Part 6 (commencing with Section 7950) of
Division 12 of the Family Code regarding relative placement.
   (4) Placement of siblings and half siblings in the same home, if
that placement is found to be in the best interest of each of the
children as provided in Section 16002.
   (5) The good moral character of the relative and any other adult
living in the home, including whether any individual residing in the
home has a prior history of violent criminal acts or has been
responsible for acts of child abuse or neglect.
   (6) The nature and duration of the relationship between the child
and the relative, and the relative's desire to care for, and to
provide legal permanency for, the child if reunification is
unsuccessful.
   (7) The ability of the relative to do the following:
   (A) Provide a safe, secure, and stable environment for the child.
   (B) Exercise proper and effective care and control of the child.
   (C) Provide a home and the necessities of life for the child.
   (D) Protect the child from his or her parents.
   (E) Facilitate court-ordered reunification efforts with the
parents.
   (F) Facilitate visitation with the child's other relatives.
   (G) Facilitate implementation of all elements of the case plan.
   (H) Provide legal permanence for the child if reunification fails.

   However, any finding made with respect to the factor considered
pursuant to this subparagraph and pursuant to subparagraph (G) shall
not be the sole basis for precluding preferential placement with a
relative.
   (I) Arrange for appropriate and safe child care, as necessary.
   (8) The safety of the relative's home. For a relative to be
considered appropriate to receive placement of a child under this
section, the relative's home shall first be approved pursuant to the
process and standards described in subdivision (d) of Section 309.
   In this regard, the Legislature declares that a physical
disability, such as blindness or deafness, is no bar to the raising
of children, and a county social worker's determination as to the
ability of a disabled relative to exercise care and control should
center upon whether the relative's disability prevents him or her
from exercising care and control. The court shall order the parent to
disclose to the county social worker the names, residences, and any
other known identifying information of any maternal or paternal
relatives of the child. This inquiry shall not be construed, however,
to guarantee that the child will be placed with any person so
identified. The county social worker shall initially contact the
relatives given preferential consideration for placement to determine
if they desire the child to be placed with them. Those desiring
placement shall be assessed according to the factors enumerated in
this subdivision. The county social worker shall document these
efforts in the social study prepared pursuant to Section 358.1. The
court shall authorize the county social worker  and the
attorney for the child appointed pursuant to subdivision (c) of
Section 317 and his or her agent  , while assessing these
relatives for the possibility of placement, to disclose to the
relative, as appropriate, the fact that the child is in custody, the
alleged reasons for the custody, and the projected likely date for
the child's return home or placement for adoption or legal
guardianship. However, this investigation shall not be construed as
good cause for continuance of the dispositional hearing conducted
pursuant to Section 358.  The court shall also authorize the
attorney for the child appointed pursuant to subdivision (c) of
Section 317, and the attorney's agent, to disclose information to the
relative who is being assessed for the possibility of placement, as
appropriate, the fact that the child is in custody, the alleged
reasons for the custody, and the projected likely date for the child'
s return home or placement for adoption or legal guardianship. 
   (b) In any case in which more than one appropriate relative
requests preferential consideration pursuant to this section, each
relative shall be considered under the factors enumerated in
subdivision (a).
   (c) For purposes of this section:
   (1) "Preferential consideration" means that the relative seeking
placement shall be the first placement to be considered and
investigated.
   (2) "Relative" means an adult who is related to the child by
blood, adoption, or affinity within the fifth degree of kinship,
including stepparents, stepsiblings, and all relatives whose status
is preceded by the words "great," "great-great" or "grand" or the
spouse of any of these persons even if the marriage was terminated by
death or dissolution. However, only the following relatives shall be
given preferential consideration for the placement of the child: an
adult who is a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or sibling.
   (d) Subsequent to the hearing conducted pursuant to Section 358,
whenever a new placement of the child must be made, consideration for
placement shall again be given as described in this section to
relatives who have not been found to be unsuitable and who will
fulfill the child's reunification or permanent plan requirements. In
addition to the factors described in subdivision (a), the county
social worker shall consider whether the relative has established and
maintained a relationship with the child.
   (e) If the court does not place the child with a relative who has
been considered for placement pursuant to this section, the court
shall state for the record the reasons placement with that relative
was denied.
   (f) (1) With respect to a child who satisfies the criteria set
forth in paragraph (2), the department and any licensed adoption
agency may search for a relative and furnish identifying information
relating to the child to that relative if it is believed the child's
welfare will be promoted thereby.
   (2) Paragraph (1) shall apply if both of the following conditions
are satisfied:
   (A) The child was previously a dependent of the court.
   (B) The child was previously adopted and the adoption has been
disrupted, set aside pursuant to Section 9100 or 9102 of the Family
Code, or the child has been released into the custody of the
department or a licensed adoption agency by the adoptive parent or
parents.
   (3) As used in this subdivision, "relative" includes a member of
the child's birth family and nonrelated extended family members,
regardless of whether the parental rights were terminated, provided
that both of the following are true:
   (A) No appropriate potential caretaker is known to exist from the
child's adoptive family, including nonrelated extended family members
of the adoptive family.
   (B) The child was not the subject of a voluntary relinquishment by
the birth parents pursuant to Section 8700 of the Family Code or
Section 1255.7 of the Health and Safety Code.