Relating to the vacation of certain termination of parental rights orders

Sponsored by the House Judiciary Committee

Topics:Courts & civil law Families & human services

Same legislation: HF 58, SF 372

Write your legislators about itWhat changed before it passed

Official bill page Lobbyist declarations One-pager to print

Where it is now

Done: IntroducedJanuary 18, 2023
Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 26, 2023
Done: House committeeFebruary 21, 2023
Done: Passes the HouseMarch 15, 202397–0
Done: Senate committeeMarch 23, 2023
Done: Passes the SenateMay 2, 202348–0
Done: To the GovernorMay 9, 2023
Done: Signed into lawJune 1, 2023

Signed into law What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary If a biological parent gives up their rights by signing a release, they can ask a court to cancel that decision if another potential parent has not yet been legally addressed. This request must be made within a specific number of days set by the Iowa Supreme Court. A judge will only cancel the order if they decide it is in the best interest of the child.¹

Read the official explanation

This bill relates to the vacation of certain termination of parental rights orders. Under the bill, if the court issues an order granting the termination of parental rights petition of a biological parent who indicated as the grounds for termination that the parent has signed a release of custody and the release has not been revoked, but the court has not issued an order granting the termination of parental rights of any other putative biological parent nor has the other putative biological parent consented to the adoption in lieu of termination of the parent’s parental rights thereby prohibiting the filing of an adoption petition, the court shall allow the parent for whom the court issued an order terminating parental rights to request a vacation of the order within days of issuance of the granting of the order. The period for the request shall not be waived or extended and a vacation shall not be granted after the expiration of the period. The juvenile court shall grant the vacation request only if it is in the best interest of the child. The supreme court shall prescribe rules to establish a period of days in which a terminated parent may request a vacation of a termination order under the bill.

Full bill text · What changed before it passed²

Senate subcommittee

Named March 21, 2023. It hasn’t reported yet.

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Iowa Code it changes

Amends§600A.9

How the Code works³

Lobbying

1 for · 0 against · 3 undecided · Who →

Family tree

Tried before

HF 554Passed a chamber89th GA HF 212Renumbered89th GA

90th General Assembly

HF 58RenumberedHouse companion HF 400Became lawfrom HF 58 SF 372Cleared committeeSenate companion

Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title.

Tried before

This idea has been filed in an earlier General Assembly. None became law, though one got through a chamber.

HF 212 Relating to the vacation of certain termination of parental rights orders
89th General Assembly · Renumbered as HF 554 · same title
Cleared committee
HF 554 Relating to the vacation of certain termination of parental rights orders
89th General Assembly · Passed House · same title
Passed a chamber

Matched by wording or an identical title.