HB 1227 — Minors' Rights in Dependency & Neglect Proceedings

NOTE:

This bill has been prepared for the signatures of the appropriate legislative officers and the Governor.

To determine whether the Governor has signed the bill or taken other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative history, or the Session Laws.

CONCERNING AFFIRMING THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN DEPENDENCYDEPENDENCYANDNEGLECTPROCEEDINGS. AND NEGLECT PROCEEDINGS .

Be it enacted by the General Assembly ofofthe the State ofofColorado: Colorado:

SECTION1.SECTION 1.

InColoradoRevisedStatutes,19-3-502,amend(4.5);InColoradoRevised Statutes, 19-3-502,amend (4.5);

(4.5) A childORchild YOUTHORYOUTHnamed named in the petition shall be aaparty partytoto the proceedingsandhavetherighttoattendandfullyparticipateinallhearingsproceedings and havethe right to attend and fully participate in all hearings related to the child'sYOUTHchild's SORYOUTH'Scase. case.

ASAs AAPARTYTOTHEPROCEEDINGS,A PARTYCHILDORYOUTHHASLEGALSTANDINGREGARDINGALLMATIERSRELATED TOTOTHECHILD'SORYOUTH'SINTERESTSANDTHERIGHTTOHAVETHECHILD'S THE PROCEEDINGS ,A CHILDORYOUTHHASLEGALSTANDINGREGARDINGALLMATTERSRELATED TOTHECHILD SORYOUTH 'SINTERESTSANDTHERIGHTTOHAVETHECHILD S ________ Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law;

dashes through words or numbers indicate deletionsdeletionsfrom from existing law andandsuch such material is notnotpart part of the act.

ORYOUTHOR 'SINTERESTSFULLYREPRESENTEDBYTHEGUARDIANADLITEMORYOUTH'S COUNSELFORYOUTHTHROUGHOUTTHEPROCEEDINGSINTERESTSFULLY ,INCLUDINGAPPEALSREPRESENTED .BYTHEGUARDIANAD LITEM OR COUNSELFORYOUTHTHROUGHOUTTHEPROCEEDINGS, INCLUDINGAPPEALS.

Thechild'sORYOUTHThe 'Sguardianadlitemorcounselforyouthshallprovidechild's ORYOUTH'S guardian ad litem or counsel for youth shall provide developmentally appropriate notice to the childYOUTHchild ofOR YOUTH o f all hearings related to the child'sYOUTHchild's 'Scase.OR YOUTH'S case.

(4.7) (a) ICOUNTYDEPARTMENTIF OFHUMANA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN OR SOCIALSERVICESSOCIAL SERVICES SEEKS DISMISSAL OF A PETITION FILED PURSUANT TO SECTION 19-3-501 PRIOR TO THE ADJUDICATORY HEARING HELD PURSUANT TO SECTION 19-3-505, AND THE CHILD OR YOUTHYOUTH, ,THROUGHTHROUGH THE CHILDCHILD'S 'S OR YOUTHYOUTH'S S GUARDIAN AD LITEM OR COUNSEL FOR YOUTHYOUTH, ,OBJECTSOBJECTS TO THE DISMISSAL AND ARTICULATES A BASIS UPON WHICH THE CHILD IS ABUSED OR NEGLECTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 19-1-103 (1)(a)THE(l)(a), THE COURT SHALL SET A HEARING TO DETERMINE WHETHER ORORNOT NOT THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN OR SOCIAL SERVICES HAS A REASONABLE BASIS TO DISMISS THE CASECASE. .

THE COURT MAY HEAR FROM THE PARTIES REGARDING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE DISMISSALDISMISSAL. .

FIF THE COURT DETERMINES THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN OR SOCIAL SERVICES SHOWS A REASONABLE BASIS FOR DISMISSALDISMISSAL, , THE COURT SHALL DISMISS THE PETITION,BUTIFTHECOUNTYDEPARTMENTOFHUMANORSOCIALSERVICESPETITION, DOESNOTSHOWREASONABLEBASISTODISMISSTHECASEBUTIFTHECOUNTY ,THECOURTMUSTDEPARTMENTOFHUMAN OR SOCIAL SERVICES DOESNOTSHOWREASONABLE BASISTO DISMISSTHECASE, THECOURTMUST ALLOW THE CASE TO PROCEEDPROCEED. .

(b) THISSUBSECTIONTHIS (4.7)DOESNOTAUTHORIZEACHILDORYOUTHSUBSECTION (4.7) DOESNOTAUTHORIZE A CHILD OR YOUTH TO FILE A PETITION ON THE CHILDSCHILD'S OR YOUTH'S BEHALF.

(c) TTHIS HIS SUBSECTION (4.7)DOES(4.7) DOES NOT LIMIT A PARTYPARTY'S 'S RIGHT TO DEMAND A JURY TRIAL PURSUANT TO SECTION 19-3-202.

In Colorado Revised Statutes, 19-3-203,19-3-203amend amend (6) as follows:

(6)(6)A Apersonappointedtoserveascounselforyouthpursuanttothisperson appointed to serve as counsel for youth pursuant to this section shall comply withw ith the Colorado rules ofo f professional conduct, provisions set forth in a chief justice directive concerning the court appointment ofo f counsel for youth in this title 19, and subsequent chief justicedirectivesorpracticestandardsestablishedbyruleordirectiveofthejustice directives orpractice standards established by rule or directive o fthe chief justice pursuant to section 13-91-105 concerning the duties and PAGEPAG E 2-HOUSE BILLB IL L 26-1227 responsibilitiesofaguardianadlitemandcounselforyouthinlegalmattersresponsibilities ofa guardian ad litem and counsel for youth in legal matters affecting children ororyouth. youth.

Counsel for youth shall ensure that the childehildOI or youth has representationteptesentation throughthtough pending appeals PARTICIPATE FULLY IN THE PROCEEDINGS TO THE DEGREE NECESSARY TO REPRESENT THE YOUTHYOUTH, , INCLUDING APPEALING MATTERS TO THE COURT OF APPEALS OR THE SUPREME COURTCOURT. .

on the day following the expiration of the ninety-dayperiodninety-day period after final adjournment ofofthe the general assembly(Augustassembly (August 12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026);

except that, if a referendumpetitionisfiledpursuanttosection1(3)ofarticleVofthestatereferendumpetition is filed pursuantto section 1(3) ofarticle V ofthe state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless PAGE 3-HOUSE BILL 26-1227 approvedbythepeopleatthegeneralelectiontobeheldinNovember2026approved bythe people atthe general election to be held inNovember2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date ofofthe the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.

____________________________J ____________________________u Juliel McCluskiei ~ James Rashad Coleman, Sr.

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE ____________________________v ____________________________~ ~ Vanessa Reilly Esther~ vanourik Mourik CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE APPROVED________________________________________APPROVED (DateOt'nonfpi1_JVhL ~ ~ ~-l11:CXJam (bate and Time) _________________________________________ Jared S.

Polis, GOVERNORGOVE OFS THEATE STATE OF COLORADO PAGE 4-HOUSE BILL 26-1227