Iowa Commission to Introduce Bill Providing Process to Restore Parental Rights

The Iowa Commission on Native American Affairs will be introducing a bill during next year’s state legislative session that would provide a process to restore parental rights to Native American parents who have lost children through Iowa's child welfare system, as reported today by DesMoinesRegister.com.

The proposed bill comes about a month after a two-day hearing during which the commission heard testimony from Native American families and advocates who are dissatisfied with the state's high rate of removal of Indian children.

The bill, which will be like one that passed in Illinois, would allow parents to appeal to have their rights restored if their children have not already been adopted and if the parents have “cleaned up their act.”