| | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | | Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §4005-D is enacted to read: |
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| | | §4005-D.__Godparent's right to standing and intervenor status in |
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| | | child protection proceedings |
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| | | 1.__Definitions.__As used in this section, unless the context | | otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following | | meanings. |
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| | | A.__"Godparent" means a person who has been designated as a | | child's godparent by that child's parent or guardian. |
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| | | 2.__Petition.__A godparent may petition for standing and | | intervenor status in any child protection proceeding under this | | chapter regarding a godchild.__The standing and intervenor status | | is limited to that proceeding unless otherwise ordered by the | | court. |
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| | | 3.__Criteria.__The court shall make a determination whether to | | grant standing based on the strength and duration of the | | relationship between the godparent and the child and the best | | interests of the child. |
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| | | This bill extends intervenor status to godparents in any child | | protection proceeding. |
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