Recognizing adopted siblings and half siblings as relatives and adoptive parents of siblings or half siblings as suitable persons in adoption and dependency proceedings. (REVISED FOR PASSED LEGISLATURE: Concerning dependency matters. )
Summary
Allows the Department of Social and Health Services to place a dependent child with a person with whom the child's sibling or half sibling has been placed or with the adoptive parent of a sibling or half sibling, where the person or adoptive parent has passed a criminal background check and is competent to care for the child.
Permits a child to petition the juvenile court to reinstate the previously terminated parental rights of his or her parents even if the child has achieved his or her permanency plan if the permanency plan has not been sustained.
Allows the court, in an adoption proceeding involving a dependent child and a minor parent, to rely on certain reports from the guardian ad litem (GAL) or the attorney representing the minor parent in the dependency proceeding.
Allows the court, in adoption proceedings, to order the parties, as opposed to the county, to pay the fee of the GAL or attorney.
Defines the term "investigator" for the purposes of family law cases and requires investigators who are not supervised by a GAL or court-appointed special advocate to comply with training requirements.
From the Engrossed Substitute House Bill Report (ESHB 1774), written by the Legislature's nonpartisan staff. Read the full report ↗