Child Welfare Timeline Compliance Amendments
Introduction
Feb 17
House Rules
Mar 5
House Committee
Feb 19
House Floor Vote
Senate Rules
Senate Committee
Senate 2nd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading
Governor
This bill addresses statutory timelines in child welfare cases.
This bill:
AI-generated summary. We recommend consulting the bill text for important decisions.
Aimed at moving child welfare cases to resolution more quickly, this bill creates new rules for juvenile courts and appellate courts to follow when handling cases involving abused, neglected, or removed children. It prohibits parties from agreeing to waive or extend legally required court deadlines, with a narrow exception allowing up to four extra days in a genuine emergency. Courts must schedule critical hearings well in advance of deadlines, require attorneys to find coverage if unavailable, and use other judges to handle routine matters so that key hearings stay on track. The bill also reduces the maximum length of a second extension of reunification services — the additional time a parent may receive to work toward getting their child back — from 90 days to 60 days, and requires the court to confirm that granting the extension won't push the case past other legal deadlines. Additionally, it creates new annual reporting requirements for the Administrative Office of the Courts, covering how often courts miss their deadlines, how often reunification extensions are granted, and how long child welfare appeals take to resolve.
Introduction
Feb 17
House Rules
Mar 5
House Committee
Feb 19
House Floor Vote
Senate Rules
Senate Committee
Senate 2nd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading
Governor
IntroductionFeb 17
House RulesMar 5
House CommitteeFeb 19
House Floor Vote
Senate Rules
Senate Committee
Senate 2nd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading
Governor
This bill addresses statutory timelines in child welfare cases.
This bill:
AI-generated summary. We recommend consulting the bill text for important decisions.
Aimed at moving child welfare cases to resolution more quickly, this bill creates new rules for juvenile courts and appellate courts to follow when handling cases involving abused, neglected, or removed children. It prohibits parties from agreeing to waive or extend legally required court deadlines, with a narrow exception allowing up to four extra days in a genuine emergency. Courts must schedule critical hearings well in advance of deadlines, require attorneys to find coverage if unavailable, and use other judges to handle routine matters so that key hearings stay on track. The bill also reduces the maximum length of a second extension of reunification services — the additional time a parent may receive to work toward getting their child back — from 90 days to 60 days, and requires the court to confirm that granting the extension won't push the case past other legal deadlines. Additionally, it creates new annual reporting requirements for the Administrative Office of the Courts, covering how often courts miss their deadlines, how often reunification extensions are granted, and how long child welfare appeals take to resolve.
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Clerk of the House
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House Rules Committee
House Comm - Recommends Returned to Rules
House Judiciary Committee
House Comm - Not Considered
House Judiciary Committee
Last updated Mar 26, 2026, 9:42 PM