This bill amends various sections of the Arkansas Juvenile Code of 1989 and the Child Maltreatment Act, focusing on the processes surrounding the reinstatement of parental rights and the Child Maltreatment Central Registry. Key changes include allowing a parent whose rights were previously terminated to file a motion to resume services, which can now be initiated by the parent themselves, in addition to the Department of Human Services or an attorney ad litem. The waiting period for filing such a motion has been reduced from three years to two years, with the possibility of waiving this period if it serves the child's best interest. Additionally, the bill allows for unsupervised visitation or placement of the juvenile with the parent without requiring a written home study.

Further amendments clarify the criteria for reinstating parental rights, including a new provision that allows the court to grant custody to a parent whose rights were terminated if it is deemed in the child's best interest, regardless of whether a home study has been conducted. The Child Maltreatment Central Registry will now only include records of true investigative determinations of abuse, sexual abuse, and sexual exploitation, excluding neglect or abandonment cases. The bill also introduces a process for offenders to request a review of their placement on the registry if five years have passed since the investigative determination, provided they still pose a risk to vulnerable populations.

Statutes affected:
Old version SB325 V2 - 3-12-2025 02:02 PM: 9-27-369(a), 9-27-369(d)
Old version SB325 V3 - 3-20-2025 02:11 PM: 9-27-369(a), 9-27-369(d)
Old version SB325 Original - 2-26-2025 03:56 PM: 9-27-369(a), 9-27-369(d), 9-27-370, 9-27-369, 9-27-306, 12-18-902, 12-18-903(b)
SB 325: 9-27-369(a), 9-27-369(d), 9-27-370, 9-27-369, 9-27-306, 12-18-902, 12-18-903(b)