PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor                             Ch. 596

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

(2) THE WRITTEN REQUEST FOR REVIEW SHALL STATE THE REASON
FOR THE REQUEST AND ANY ISSUES TO BE RAISED.

(C)     AT THE REVIEW HEARING FOR A CHILD IN PLACEMENT, THE COURT
SHALL:

(1) DETERMINE THE FUTURE STATUS OF THE CHILD, INCLUDING
WHETHER THE CHILD SHOULD BE:

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