Summary:

 House Bill 382 (HB 382) relates to children and amends the Family in Need of Court-Ordered Services Act (FINCO) to expand the definition of what families qualify for services. The bill also appropriates $1,000,000 to the Administrative Office of the Courts to expand the scope of FINCO.   

Legislation Overview:

 House Bill 382 (HB 382) amends Section 32A-3B-2 of the Family in Need of Court-Ordered Services Act (FINCO) to expand the definition of “family in need of court-ordered services.”  The bill includes in this definition a family where the child’s parent/guardian/custodian was investigated by the Children, Youth and Family Department (CYFD) and CYFD found evidence that the child is abused or neglected.  
HB 382 also appropriates $1,000,000 from the General Fund to the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) for use in Fiscal Year 2026 to expand the scope of FINCO.  Unused funds revert to the General Fund. 
HB 382 is effective July 1, 2025. 

Current Law:

 Currently, FINCO applies to families whose child is (1) habitually truant; (2) gone from the house for more than 12 hours without the consent of the parent; (3) refuses to return home and will likely run away if returned or whose parents refuse to allow the child to return home.