REINSTATEMENT OF PARENTAL RIGHTS ACT

SB 429, the "Reinstatement of Parental Rights Act," allows parents whose rights were legally terminated (or relinquished) to petition courts to regain custody of their children. It requires petitioners to prove a material change in circumstances that enables safe parenting, show the child’s best interest, and meet a 12-month waiting period (with exceptions for minors nearing 18 or extraordinary cases). The bill mandates specific documentation, including child consent (if 10+), a transition plan to return the child to the parent within 90 days, and adoptive parent/guardian consent unless their rights are first terminated. It directly affects former parents, children in foster care or adoption, and child welfare agencies by establishing new court procedures for reinstatement petitions.