The bill would add requirements on when the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) could file a petition for the termination of the parent-child relationship. The bill would also increase the automatic court dismissal to after the second anniversary of when the court rendered the order.
According to DFPS, the requirements in the bill could result in an increase in the number of children in conservatorship, children remaining longer in conservatorship, as well as as fewer children becoming adopted. DFPS has noted that increased costs could potentially result from additional conservatorship case management staff, additional transitional living support services, and an increase to foster and kinship costs.
Additionally, DFPS noted decreases in adoption assistance may offset these increases in cost. However, because the number of children that may remain in DFPS conservatorship for a longer period is unknown and because DFPS cannot forecast what options a relative caregiver might pursue, the impact on cost cannot be determined.
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.