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SB 815 Oregon Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Relating to the Department of Human Services as a party in dependency proceedings.

SB 815 clarifies when Oregon's Department of Human Services (DHS) becomes a formal party in juvenile court cases involving child welfare. DHS is recognized as a party when it petitions for custody, has temporary custody of a child, or holds legal custody under state law. The bill also ensures foster parents, relatives caring for a child, and grandparents receive notice of court proceedings and the right to be heard - though they are not considered formal parties. This change affects children in dependency cases, DHS, foster families, and tribal entities, streamlining court procedures while ensuring key stakeholders are notified.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
Jun 2025
Introduced Jan 13, 2025 Signed Jun 3, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Enrolled · 5 edits · Jun 3, 2025
MODERATE
This bill clarifies who must be notified and given notice in Oregon juvenile dependency proceedings, specifically expanding protections for grandparents and adding new requirements for the Department of Human Services to provide notice and opportunities to be heard. The changes ensure grandparents receive proper notice of hearings and have a formal opportunity to participate, while also clarifying that grandparents are not automatically parties to the case unless they intervene.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of parties and notice requirements in dependency proceedings to include specific protections for grandparents, adding new subsections to ORS 419B.875 that were not previously codified in this manner.
REQUIREMENT

Added new requirements for the Department of Human Services to make diligent efforts to identify and obtain contact information for grandparents of children in their custody.

Added requirement that courts must give grandparents present at a hearing an opportunity to be heard.

Added requirement that court orders must include findings on whether grandparents received notice, attended hearings, and had opportunity to be heard.

DEFINITION

Added definition of 'grandparent' to include legal parents of a child's legal parent, regardless of whether parental rights were terminated.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified the status of grandparents from having only notice rights to being granted specific rights of intervention under ORS 419B.116 to become parties to proceedings.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 7, 2025 · House May 21, 2025

How they voted

29–0
Passed
Total votes 29
Apr 7, 2025
D Democratic17
17 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican12
12 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
22
Key actions
7
Committee
4
Jun 3, 2025
Signed into law
Governor signed.
upper
May 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Speaker signed.
lower
May 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
President signed.
upper
May 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third reading. Carried by Sanchez. Passed.
lower
May 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Recommendation: Do pass.
lower
Apr 10, 2025
Committee
Referred to Early Childhood and Human Services.
lower
Apr 8, 2025
Introduced
First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.
lower
Apr 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Third reading. Carried by Reynolds. Passed.
upper
Apr 1, 2025
Upper · Passed
Recommendation: Do pass.
upper
Jan 17, 2025
Committee
Referred to Human Services.
upper
Jan 13, 2025
Introduced
Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.