Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §4056, sub-§§1 and 3, as enacted by PL 1979, c. 733, §18, are amended to read:

1. Parent and child divested of rights. An Except as otherwise provided in an order issued under section 4056-A, an order terminating parental rights divests the parent and child of all legal rights, powers, privileges, immunities, duties and obligations to each other as parent and child, except the inheritence inheritance rights between the child and his the child's parent.

3. Parent not entitled to participate in adoption proceedings. A Except as otherwise provided in an order issued under section 4056-A, a parent whose rights have been terminated shall is not be entitled to notice of the child's adoption proceedings, nor shall he does the parent have any right to object to the adoption or participate in the proceedings.

Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §4056-A is enacted to read:

§4056-A.__Visitation after termination; adoption proceedings

1.__Visitation.__The court may order that a parent whose rights are terminated under this subchapter be granted visitation rights with the child if the court finds that such visitation is in the best interests of the child.

2.__Notice of adoption proceedings; participation.__The court may order that the parent whose rights are terminated under this subchapter be given notice and the opportunity to participate in the child's adoption proceedings if the court finds it is in the best interests of the child.

SUMMARY

This bill gives a court discretion to provide continuing contact between a parent and child when the parent's parental rights are terminated. If the court finds that visitation with the parent is in the best interests of the child, the court may issue an order granting such visitation. Similarly, the court may order that the parent be given notice of adoption proceedings and an opportunity to participate in those proceedings if notice to the parent and the parent's participation are in the best interests of the child.