Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 814 of the Regular Session
1 State of Arkansas
2 93rd General Assembly A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2021 HOUSE BILL 1814
4
5 By: Representative Gazaway
6
7 For An Act To Be Entitled
8 AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE OPPORTUNITY TO
9 BE HEARD IN CERTAIN HEARINGS HELD UNDER THE ARKANSAS
10 JUVENILE CODE OF 1989; TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF
11 "PARENT" UNDER THE ARKANSAS JUVENILE CODE OF 1989;
12 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
13
14
15 Subtitle
16 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE
17 OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD IN CERTAIN
18 HEARINGS HELD UNDER THE ARKANSAS JUVENILE
19 CODE OF 1989; AND TO AMEND THE DEFINITION
20 OF "PARENT" UNDER THE ARKANSAS JUVENILE
21 CODE OF 1989.
22
23
24 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
25
26 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code 9-27-303(41), concerning the definition of
27 "parent" under the Arkansas Juvenile Code of 1989, is amended to read as
28 follows:
29 (41) Parent means:
30 (A) a A biological mother,;
31 (B) an An adoptive parent,; or
32 (C) a A man:
33 (i) to To whom the biological mother was married at
34 the time of conception or birth;
35 (ii) or who Who has signed an acknowledgment of
36 paternity pursuant to 9-10-120;
*JNL279* 03/18/2021 3:42:49 PM JNL279
 HB1814
1 (iii) or who Who has been found by a court of
2 competent jurisdiction to be the biological father of the juvenile or to have
3 otherwise established paternity; or
4 (iv) Who is listed as the parent on the birth
5 certificate of the child;
6
7 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code 9-27-325(l)(3)(A), concerning hearings held
8 under the Arkansas Juvenile Code of 1989, is amended to read as follows:
9 (3)(A) The court shall allow foster parents, preadoptive
10 parents, and relative caregivers an opportunity to be heard in any proceeding
11 held with respect to a child in their care but only as a witness.
12
13 SECTION 3. Arkansas Code 9-27-325(l)(3), concerning hearings held
14 under the Arkansas Juvenile Code of 1989, is amended to add an additional
15 subdivision to read as follows:
16 (D) A foster parent, adoptive parent, preadoptive parent,
17 or relative caregiver may not offer evidence to be considered by the court
18 unless he or she is called as a witness.
19
20
21 APPROVED: 4/21/21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
2 03/18/2021 3:42:49 PM JNL279


Statutes affected:
HB 1814: 9-27-303(41), 9-27-325(l)
Act 814: 9-27-303(41), 9-27-325(l)