Legislation designed to better protect children in the custody of the Department Human Services passed off the House Floor on Tuesday.

House Bill 1036, authored by Rep. Collin Walke, D-Oklahoma City, passed with a bipartisan vote of 94-3.

The legislation would prohibit a parent who has had his or her parental rights terminated from being appointed to serve as the child’s guardian. While presenting the legislation on the House Floor, Walke reiterated that there is a process in place to re-establish parental rights, and that this legislation won’t affect that process.