HARRY HUGHES, Governor

827

AN ACT concerning

Juvenile Causes - Child in Need of Assistance

FOR the purpose of requiring a local intake officer to file,
without further investigation, a child in need of
assistance petition if sought by a local department of
social services; making the local department a party to
the proceeding in these cases; and providing that in
these cases the local department shall present to the
court the evidence in support of the petition.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

Section 3-810(b)

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1974 Volume and 1979 Supplement)

BY adding to

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

Section 3-812(g)

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1974 Volume and 1979 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
be repealed, amended, or enacted to read as follows:

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

3-810.

(b) (1) EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THIS
SUBSECTION, [In] IN considering the complaint, the intake
officer shall make a preliminary inquiry within 15 days as
to whether the court has jurisdiction and whether judicial
action is in the best interests of the public or the child.
He may, after such inquiry and in accordance with this
section, (i) authorize the filing of a petition, (ii)
conduct a further investigation into the allegations of the
complaint, (iii) propose an informal adjustment of the
matter, or (iv) refuse authorization to file a petition.

(2) IF A COMPLAINT THAT CONCERNS A CHILD ALLEGED
TO BE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE IS BROUGHT BY A LOCAL DEPARTMENT
OF SOCIAL SERVICES, THE INTAKE OFFICER SHALL FILE THE
PETITION WITHOUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION.

3-812.

(G) WHENEVER A CHILD IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE PETITION IS
FILED AT THE REQUEST OF THE LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL