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House passes bill to strengthen kinship placement and grandparents' contact after adoption
Summary
HB 13-14 passed after sponsors said amendments preserved core protections for grandparents and kinship placements; the bill clarifies standing after adoption, reinforces diligent search for relatives, and creates a foster-care prevention pilot.
The House passed House Bill 13‑14, a measure to bolster family stability by prioritizing kinship placements, clarifying grandparent and great‑grandparent visitation rights, and creating a foster‑care prevention pilot.
Sponsor Representative English said the bill corrects a technical statutory issue identified by a 2025 Colorado Supreme Court decision and restores access for grandparents who otherwise could lose standing because of a drafting quirk. "This bill fixes that by ensuring grandparents do not lose standing simply because their child is deceased," English said, describing the change as closing a narrow statutory gap.
The bill also requires counties to document diligent efforts to identify and contact grandparents and kin early in child welfare cases, aiming to reduce unnecessary trauma and improve continuity for children. Supporters described the amended bill as a narrower vehicle but one that advances family‑preserving goals. The Health & Human Services committee report was adopted and the bill passed on the floor.
