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SB79 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AND ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AND ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS.

Children
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Last action
2025-05-13
Official status
Substituted in Senate by SS 1 for SB 79
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AND ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS.

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AND ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS.

What This Bill Does

  • AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AND ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS.
  • This Act creates a right to free legal counsel for certain relatives seeking to terminate parental rights and adopt a child in the relative’s family who has been in the custody of the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (“Department”).
  • The right to free legal counsel applies at all stages of the termination of parental rights and adoption proceedings, including any appeals.
  • This Act also requires the Department to prepare and file the social study and report that is a required part of the termination of parental rights and adoption process at no cost to the relative.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-13 Delaware General Assembly

    Substituted in Senate by SS 1 for SB 79

  2. 2025-04-17 Delaware General Assembly

    Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in Senate with 2 Favorable, 2 On Its Merits

  3. 2025-04-17 Delaware General Assembly

    Assigned to Finance Committee in Senate

  4. 2025-04-08 Delaware General Assembly

    Amendment SA 1 to SB 79 - Introduced and Placed With Bill

  5. 2025-03-25 Delaware General Assembly

    Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 13 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AND ADOPTION PROCEEDINGS.
This Act creates a right to free legal counsel for certain relatives seeking to terminate parental rights and adopt a child in the relative’s family who has been in the custody of the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (“Department”). The right to free legal counsel applies at all stages of the termination of parental rights and adoption proceedings, including any appeals. This Act also requires the Department to prepare and file the social study and report that is a required part of the termination of parental rights and adoption process at no cost to the relative.

This Act also makes technical corrections to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.