Ch. 595                                    1996 LAWS OF MARYLAND

legal, and administrative arenas and that the child's need for a permanent and nurturing
family should at least be equal to the rights of the parents; and

WHEREAS, Maryland must use every available resource to reduce the foster care
caseload and move children waiting for adoption to stable, nurturing, permanent homes;
and

WHEREAS, The Commission found that the current court structure in Maryland
cannot respond quickly in the area of adoptions, courts are not able to comply with the
required 180 day timeframe for a decision on termination of parental rights, and
termination of parental rights is not viewed as a priority by many judges; and

WHEREAS, The Commission found that continuity in cases is lacking when child
welfare proceedings for one child are held in two different courts; and

WHEREAS, The Commission found that changing the court review interval to 12
months, with extensions of temporary custody only in special circumstances, would reduce
the delays in achieving a permanent placement for a child; now, therefore

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

3-804.

(a) The court has exclusive original jurisdiction over:

(1)     [ a] A child alleged to be delinquent, in need of supervision, in need of
assistance or who has received a citation for a violation; AND

(2)     EXCEPT IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, WITH RESPECT TO ANY CHILD
WHO IS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE JUVENILE COURT AND PREVIOUSLY HAS
BEEN ADJUDICATED A CHILD IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE, ALL TERMINATION OF
PARENTAL RIGHTS PROCEEDINGS AND RELATED ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the laws of Maryland read as
follows:

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

3-826.1.

(A)    NO LATER THAN 10 MONTHS AFTER DISPOSITION MADE IN THE CASE OF A
CHILD ALLEGED TO BE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE, THE COURT SHALL HOLD A
HEARING TO REVIEW THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A PERMANENCY PLAN FOR EACH
CHILD COMMITTED UNDER § 3-820(C)(1)(II) OF THIS SUBTITLE.

(B)     (1) UPON THE WRITTEN REQUEST OF ANY PARTY OR ON ITS OWN
MOTION, THE COURT MAY SCHEDULE A HEARING AT ANY EARLIER TIME TO
REVIEW THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A PERMANENCY PLAN FOR ANY CHILD
COMMITTED PURSUANT TO § 3-820 OF THIS SUBTITLE.

- 3422 -