Committee backs changes to juvenile continuance orders, adds reporting for missed attorney obligations
Loading...
Summary
A committee substitute for SB 541 would require courts to state dates and factual bases for continuances in abuse and neglect cases, spell out guardian ad litem duties during improvement periods, and direct clerk reporting to Public Defender Services when continuances stem from attorney noncompliance; the committee reported the measure to the full Senate.
The Senate Judiciary Committee agreed to a committee substitute for Senate Bill 541 that tightens court requirements in juvenile abuse and neglect proceedings, the committee's counsel said.
Under the substitute, courts granting continuances must specify the future date for the next hearing and the factual basis for any continuance. When a continuance results from an attorney’s failure to meet a prior court order, the court must direct the clerk to provide Public Defender Services with a redacted order of the findings so the agency can compile a report for the Legislature.
The bill also requires orders granting improvement periods to enumerate guardian ad litem duties and responsibilities during those periods, including maintaining regular in‑person contact with the child and adhering to court rules and professional conduct standards.
Counsel told the committee the bill ties to a prior package that addressed guardian and panel attorney pay and said the reporting requirement is intended to help the Legislature identify where continuances or attorney noncompliance are affecting permanency hearings.
Hearing no amendments, the committee agreed to the substitute and reported it to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass.
