Opinion ID: 1105999
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: History of Section 39.806(1)(d)(1)

Text: When enacted in 1997, the provision now codified in section 39.806(1)(d)(1) set out one of the three criteria that had to be met for termination of the parental rights of an incarcerated parent. See ch. 97-226, § 1, Laws of Fla. Subsection (1)(d) provided: (1) The department, the guardian ad litem, a licensed child-placing agency, or any person who has knowledge of the facts alleged or who is informed of said facts and believes that they are true, may petition for the termination of parental rights under any of the following circumstances: .... (d) When the parent of a child is incarcerated in a state or federal correctional institution and: 1. The period of time for which the parent is expected to be incarcerated will constitute a substantial portion of the period of time before the child will attain the age of 18 years: 2. The incarcerated parent has been determined by the court to be a violent career criminal as defined in s. 775.084, a habitual violent felony offender as defined in s. 775.084, or a sexual predator as defined in s. 775.21; has been convicted of first degree or second degree murder in violation of s. 782.04 or a sexual battery that constitutes a capital, life, or first degree felony violation of s. 794.011; or has been convicted of an offense in another jurisdiction which is substantially similar to one of the offenses listed in this paragraph ... and 3. The court determines by clear and convincing evidence that continuing the parental relationship with the incarcerated parent would be harmful to the child and, for this reason, that termination of the parental rights of the incarcerated parent is in the best interest of the child. § 39.464(1)(d), Fla. Stat. (1997) (emphasis supplied). Thus, the various sections were in the conjunctive. In 1998, section 39.464 was renumbered to section 39.806 during a reorganization of chapter 39. See ch. 98-403, § 88, Laws of Fla. The reorganization was prompted by the federal Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, Pub.L. 105-89, 111 Stat. 2115 (codified in scattered sections of 42 U.S.C.). See Fla. H.R. Comm. on Child. & Fams., HB 1019 (1998) Staff Analysis 1 (final June 17, 1998). The federal act sets time limits for developing a timely permanency plan for children who are in the state's care, provides for expedited termination of parental rights under certain circumstances, and uses funding to encourage state compliance with federal requirements. In 1999, the Legislature revised section 39.806(1)(d) by making its three subsections independent alternatives rather than the previous conjunctive requirements. See ch. 99-193, § 45, Laws of Fla. [3] The 1999 revision isolated the substantial portion language of subsection (1)(d)(1) from both subsection (1)(d)(2), which focuses on persons subject to lengthy sentences because of the severity of the crime or recidivism, and subsection (1)(d)(3), which requires a finding that continuing the relationship with the parent would be harmful to the child. Each of these separate subsections now provides an independent basis for termination of the parental rights of a parent incarcerated in a state or federal correctional institution: (1) The department, the guardian ad litem, or any person who has knowledge of the facts alleged or who is informed of those facts and believes that they are true may petition for the termination of parental rights under any of the following circumstances: .... (d) When the parent of a child is incarcerated in a state or federal correctional institution and either: 1. The period of time for which the parent is expected to be incarcerated will constitute a substantial portion of the period of time before the child will attain the age of 18 years; 2. The incarcerated parent has been determined by the court to be a violent career criminal as defined in s. 775.084, a habitual violent felony offender as defined in s. 775.084, or a sexual predator as defined in s. 775.21; has been convicted of first degree or second degree murder in violation of s. 782.04 or a sexual battery that constitutes a capital, life, or first degree felony violation of s. 794.011; or has been convicted of an offense in another jurisdiction which is substantially similar to one of the offenses listed in this paragraph ....; or 3. The court determines by clear and convincing evidence that continuing the parental relationship with the incarcerated parent would be harmful to the child and, for this reason, that termination of the parental rights of the incarcerated parent is in the best interest of the child. § 39.806(1)(d), Fla. Stat. (2003) (emphasis supplied). For any termination of parental rights under chapter 39, the trial court must find, in addition to the specific grounds contained in section 39.806, that termination is in the best interests of the child. See § 39.810, Fla. Stat. (2003). Each ground for termination must be established by clear and convincing evidence. See § 39.811(2), Fla. Stat. (2003). Further, this Court has held  although not specifically as to section 39.806(1)(d)(1)  that termination of parental rights requires a showing by clear and convincing evidence that reunification of parent and child poses a substantial risk of significant harm to the child, and that termination of rights be the least restrictive means of protecting the child from serious harm. See Fla. Dep't of Children & Families v. F.L., 880 So.2d 602, 608 (Fla.2004); Padgett v. Dep't of Health & Rehab. Servs., 577 So.2d 565, 571 (Fla.1991).