Senate approves legislation to speed up process to terminate parental rights

OKLAHOMA CITY – The full Senate approved Senate Bill 706 Thursday. Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington, authored the measure that removes jury trials in proceedings to terminate parental rights.

“In a previous interim study, we found that jury trials for parents were one of the things bogging down the adoption process,” Pederson said. “Currently, while waiting for a trial, children are placed in foster care and may move to multiple homes before they even make it to the courtroom. SB 706 will remove the jury trial needed to terminate parental rights.”

SB 706 is now up for further consideration in the House of Representatives, where Rep. Randy Randleman, R-Eufaula, is the principal author.

“I appreciate my Senate colleagues for supporting this measure and hope to see this bill on the governor’s desk in the coming months,” Pederson said. “By removing these jury trials, Oklahoma kids will be able to establish permanency in a much more efficient manner. The main goal of this bill is to get children in our state in safe, loving permanent homes.”

If signed into law, SB 706 will take effect on Nov. 1.

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For more information, contact:

Sen. Roland Pederson at 405-521-5630, or email Roland.Pederson@oksenate.gov.