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H.B. 368

This document includes House Committee Amendments incorporated into the bill on Thu, Mar 3, 2011 at 4:54 PM by jeyring. -->              1     

ADOPTION OF CHILDREN

             2     
2011 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Stephen E. Sandstrom

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Daniel R. Liljenquist

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends provisions of the Juvenile Court Act of 1996 and the Utah Adoption
             10      Act, relating to the adoption of children.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13      H. [     .    requires that, when a child is in the custody of the Division of Child and Family
             14      Services, a court is required to comply with a parent's decision to place the child for
             15      adoption with an adoption agency or adoptive parents selected by the parent if:
             16              .    the other parent of the child, if any, consents to the adoption, or the parental
             17      rights of the other parent are terminated;
             18              .    the court determines that the placement is in the best interest of the child; and
             19              .    the placement complies with all applicable requirements of federal and state law
             20      relating to the adoption;
             21          .    provides that a court is only required to comply with a parent's first placement
             22      selection, but that the court may choose to comply with an additional placement
             23      selection by the parent;
             24          .    provides that the consent or choice, described in the preceding paragraphs, by a
             25      parent may not be used as grounds for subsequently terminating the parental rights
             26      of the parent if the parent withdraws consent or changes the parent's placement
             27      preference;
] .H


             28          .    amends provisions relating to notice of an adoption proceeding;
             28a      H. . adds a social service worker to the list of individuals who are qualified to conduct a
             28b      preplacement adoptive evaluation; .H
             29          .    removes the requirement that a form approved by the Department of Human
             30      Services be used for a preplacement adoptive evaluation; and
             31          .    makes technical changes.
             32      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             33          None
             34      Other Special Clauses:
             35          None
             36      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             37      AMENDS:
             38          78B-6-110, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 237
             39          78B-6-128, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 237
             40      H. [ ENACTS:
             41          78A-6-510.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
] .H

             42     
             43      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             44           H. [ Section 1. Section 78A-6-510.5 is enacted to read:
             45          78A-6-510.5. Selection by natural parent of adoptive placement of a child who is
             46      in state custody.
             47          (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), a court shall comply with the decision of a
             48      natural parent of a child who is in the custody of the division to place the child for adoption
             49      with an adoption agency selected by the natural parent, or a prospective adoptive parent or
             50      parents selected by the natural parent, if:
             51          (a) (i) the other natural parent of the child, if any, consents to the adoption; or
             52          (ii) the parental rights of the other natural parent of the child, if any:
             53          (A) have been terminated; or
             54          (B) will be terminated before the adoption decree is entered;
             55          (b) the court determines that the placement is in the best interest of the child; and
             56          (c) the placement complies with all applicable requirements of federal and state law
             57      relating to the adoption.
             58          (2) A court is only required to comply with Subsection (1) with respect to one adoption


             59      agency, one adoptive parent, or one set of prospective adoptive parents selected by the natural
             60      parent. If the selection made by the natural parent does not satisfy the requirements described
             61      in Subsection (1), or the parent changes the parent's selection, the court may, but is not required
             62      to, comply with an additional selection by the natural parent.
             63          (3) A decision by a natural parent, under this section, to place a child for adoption or to
             64      consent to termination of the natural parent's parental rights may not be used as grounds for
             65      subsequently terminating the parental rights of the natural parent if the natural parent
             66      withdraws the natural parent's consent or selects a different placement than originally selected
             67      by the natural parent.
] .H
             68          Section H. [ 2 ] 1 .H . Section 78B-6-110 is amended to read:
             69           78B-6-110. Notice of adoption proceedings.
             70          (1) (a) An unmarried biological father, by virtue of the fact that he has engaged in a
             71      sexual relationship with a woman:
             72          (i) is considered to be on notice that a pregnancy and an adoption proceeding regarding
             73      the child may occur; and
             74          (ii) has a duty to protect his own rights and interests.
             75          (b) An unmarried biological father is entitled to actual notice of a birth or an adoption
             76      proceeding with regard to his child only as provided in this section.
             77          (2) Notice of an adoption proceeding shall be served on each of the following persons:
             78          (a) any person or agency whose consent or relinquishment is required under Section
             79      78B-6-120 or 78B-6-121 , unless that right has been terminated by:
             80          (i) waiver;
             81          (ii) relinquishment;
             82          (iii) consent; or
             83          (iv) judicial action;
             84          (b) any person who has initiated a paternity proceeding and filed notice of that action
             85      with the state registrar of vital statistics within the Department of Health, in accordance with
             86      Subsection (3);
             87          (c) any legally appointed custodian or guardian of the adoptee;
             88          (d) the petitioner's spouse, if any, only if the petitioner's spouse has not joined in the
             89      petition;


             90          (e) the adoptee's spouse, if any;
             91          (f) any person who, prior to the time the mother executes her consent for adoption or
             92      relinquishes the child for adoption, is recorded on the birth certificate as the child's father, with
             93      the knowledge and consent of the mother;
             94          (g) a person who is:
             95          (i) openly living in the same household with the child at the time the consent is
             96      executed or relinquishment made; and
             97          (ii) holding himself out to be the child's father; and
             98          (h) any person who is married to the child's mother at the time she executes her consent
             99      to the adoption or relinquishes the child for adoption, unless a court of competent jurisdiction
             100      enters an order in a divorce proceeding, or under Section 78B-15-607 , that the person is not the
             101      father of the child.
             102          (3) (a) In order to preserve any right to notice, an unmarried, biological father may,
             103      consistent with Subsection (3)(d):
             104          (i) initiate proceedings in a district court of the state of Utah to establish paternity
             105      under Title 78B, Chapter 15, Utah Uniform Parentage Act; and
             106          (ii) file a notice of commencement of the proceedings described in Subsection (3)(a)(i)
             107      with the state registrar of vital statistics within the Department of Health.
             108          (b) If the unmarried, biological father does not know the county in which the birth
             109      mother resides, he may initiate his action in any county, subject to a change in trial pursuant to
             110      Section 78B-3-307 .
             111          (c) The Department of Health shall provide forms for the purpose of filing the notice
             112      described in Subsection (3)(a)(ii), and make those forms available in the office of the county
             113      health department in each county.
             114          (d) The action and notice described in Subsection (3)(a):
             115          (i) may be filed before or after the child's birth; and
             116          (ii) shall be filed prior to the mother's:
             117          (A) execution of consent to adoption of the child; or
             118          (B) relinquishment of the child for adoption.
             119          (4) Notice provided in accordance with this section need not disclose the name of the
             120      mother of the child who is the subject of an adoption proceeding.


             121          (5) The notice required by this section:
             122          (a) may be served on a person who is not the birth mother at any time after the petition
             123      for adoption is filed, including before the adoptee is born;
             124          (b) may be served on the birth mother at any time after:
             125          (i) the adoption petition is filed; and
             126          (ii) the adoptee is born;
             127          [(b)] (c) shall be served at least 30 days prior to the final dispositional hearing;
             128          [(c)] (d) shall specifically state that if the person served [must respond to the petition
             129      within 30 days of service if he] intends to intervene in or contest the adoption, the person must,
             130      within 30 days after the day on which the person is served, file a motion to intervene in the
             131      adoption proceeding, accompanied by the memorandum described in Subsection (6)(a)(iii);
             132          [(d)] (e) shall state the consequences, described in Subsection (6)(b), for failure of a
             133      person to file a motion for relief within 30 days after the day on which the person is served
             134      with notice of an adoption proceeding;
             135          [(e)] (f) is not required to include, nor be accompanied by, a summons or a copy of the
             136      petition for adoption; and
             137          [(f)] (g) shall state where the person may obtain a copy of the petition for adoption.
             138          (6) (a) A person who has been served with notice of an adoption proceeding and who
             139      wishes to contest the adoption shall file a motion to intervene in the adoption proceeding:
             140          (i) within 30 days after the day on which the person was served with notice of the
             141      adoption proceeding;
             142          (ii) setting forth specific relief sought; and
             143          (iii) accompanied by a memorandum specifying the factual and legal grounds upon
             144      which the motion is based.
             145          (b) A person who fails to fully and strictly comply with all of the requirements
             146      described in Subsection (6)(a) within 30 days after the day on which the person was served
             147      with notice of the adoption proceeding:
             148          (i) waives any right to further notice in connection with the adoption;
             149          (ii) forfeits all rights in relation to the adoptee; and
             150          (iii) is barred from thereafter bringing or maintaining any action to assert any interest in
             151      the adoptee.


             152          (7) Service of notice under this section shall be made as follows:
             153          (a) (i) Subject to Subsection (5)[(e)](f), service on a person whose consent is necessary
             154      under Section 78B-6-120 or 78B-6-121 shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Utah
             155      Rules of Civil Procedure.
             156          (ii) If service of a person described in Subsection (7)(a)(i) is by publication, the court
             157      shall designate the content of the notice regarding the identity of the parties.
             158          (iii) The notice described in this Subsection (7)(a) may not include the name of a
             159      person seeking to adopt the adoptee.
             160          (b) (i) Except as provided in Subsection (7)(b)(ii) to any other person for whom notice
             161      is required under this section, service by certified mail, return receipt requested, is sufficient.
             162          (ii) If the service described in Subsection (7)(b)(i) cannot be completed after two
             163      attempts, the court may issue an order providing for service by publication, posting, or by any
             164      other manner of service.
             165          (c) Notice to a person who has initiated a paternity proceeding and filed notice of that
             166      action with the state registrar of vital statistics in the Department of Health in accordance with
             167      the requirements of Subsection (3), shall be served by certified mail, return receipt requested, at
             168      the last address filed with the registrar.
             169          (8) The notice required by this section may be waived in writing by the person entitled
             170      to receive notice.
             171          (9) Proof of service of notice on all persons for whom notice is required by this section
             172      shall be filed with the court before the final dispositional hearing on the adoption.
             173          (10) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, neither the notice of an adoption
             174      proceeding nor any process in that proceeding is required to contain the name of the person or
             175      persons seeking to adopt the adoptee.
             176          (11) Except as to those persons whose consent to an adoption is required under Section
             177      78B-6-120 or 78B-6-121 , the sole purpose of notice under this section is to enable the person
             178      served to:
             179          (a) intervene in the adoption; and
             180          (b) present evidence to the court relevant to the best interest of the child.
             181          Section H. [ 3 ] 2 .H . Section 78B-6-128 is amended to read:
             182           78B-6-128. Preplacement adoptive evaluations -- Exceptions.


             183          (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a child may not be placed in an
             184      adoptive home until a preplacement adoptive evaluation, assessing the prospective adoptive
             185      parent and the prospective adoptive home, has been conducted in accordance with the
             186      requirements of this section.
             187          (b) Except as provided in Section 78B-6-131 , the court may, at any time, authorize
             188      temporary placement of a child in a potential adoptive home pending completion of a
             189      preplacement adoptive evaluation described in this section.
             190          (c) Subsection (1)(a) does not apply if a birth parent has legal custody of the child to be
             191      adopted and the prospective adoptive parent is related to that child as a step-parent, sibling by
             192      half or whole blood or by adoption, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or first cousin, unless the
             193      evaluation is otherwise requested by the court. The prospective adoptive parent described in
             194      this Subsection (1)(c) shall obtain the information described in Subsections (2)(a) and (b), and
             195      file that documentation with the court prior to finalization of the adoption.
             196          (d) The required preplacement adoptive evaluation must be completed or updated
             197      within the 12-month period immediately preceding the placement of a child with the
             198      prospective adoptive parent. If the prospective adoptive parent has previously received custody
             199      of a child for the purpose of adoption, the preplacement adoptive evaluation must be completed
             200      or updated within the 12-month period immediately preceding the placement of a child with the
             201      prospective adoptive parent and after the placement of the previous child with the prospective
             202      adoptive parent.
             203          (2) The preplacement adoptive evaluation shall include:
             204          (a) criminal history record information regarding each prospective adoptive parent and
             205      any other adult living in the prospective home, prepared no earlier than 18 months immediately
             206      preceding placement of the child in accordance with the following:
             207          (i) if the child is in state custody, each prospective adoptive parent and any other adult
             208      living in the prospective home shall:
             209          (A) submit fingerprints for a Federal Bureau of Investigation national criminal history
             210      record check through the Criminal and Technical Services Division of the Department of
             211      Public Safety in accordance with the provisions of Section 62A-2-120 ; or
             212          (B) submit to a fingerprint based Federal Bureau of Investigation national criminal
             213      history record check through a law enforcement agency in another state, district, or territory of


             214      the United States; or
             215          (ii) subject to Subsection (3), if the child is not in state custody, each prospective
             216      adoptive parent and any other adult living in the prospective home shall:
             217          (A) submit fingerprints for a Federal Bureau of Investigation national criminal history
             218      records check as a personal records check; or
             219          (B) complete a criminal records check, if available, for each state and country where
             220      the potential adoptive parent and any adult living in the prospective adoptive home resided
             221      during the five years immediately preceding the day on which the adoption petition is to be
             222      finalized;
             223          (b) a report containing all information regarding reports and investigations of child
             224      abuse, neglect, and dependency, with respect to each prospective adoptive parent and any other
             225      adult living in the prospective home, obtained no earlier than 18 months immediately preceding
             226      the day on which the child is placed in the prospective home, pursuant to waivers executed by
             227      each prospective adoptive parent and any other adult living in the prospective home, that:
             228          (i) if the prospective adoptive parent or the adult living in the prospective adoptive
             229      parent's home is a resident of Utah, is prepared by the Department of Human Services from the
             230      records of the Department of Human Services; or
             231          (ii) if the prospective adoptive parent or the adult living in the prospective adoptive
             232      parent's home is not a resident of Utah, prepared by the Department of Human Services, or a
             233      similar agency in another state, district, or territory of the United States, where each
             234      prospective adoptive parent and any other adult living in the prospective home resided in the
             235      five years immediately preceding the day on which the child is placed in the prospective
             236      adoptive home;
             237          (c) in accordance with Subsection (6), an evaluation conducted by:
             238          (i) an expert in family relations approved by the court;
             239          (ii) a certified social worker;
             240          (iii) a clinical social worker;
             241          (iv) a marriage and family therapist;
             242          (v) a psychologist; H. [ or ] .H
             243          (vi) a professional counselor; H. [ and ] or
             243a          (vii) a social service worker; and .H
             244          (d) in accordance with Subsection (7), if the child to be adopted is a child who is in the


             245      custody of any public child welfare agency, and is a child who has a special need as defined in
             246      Section 62A-4a-902 , the preplacement evaluation shall be conducted by the Department of
             247      Human Services or a child-placing agency that has entered into a contract with the department
             248      to conduct the preplacement evaluations for children with special needs.
             249          (3) For purposes of Subsection (2)(a)(ii):
             250          (a) if the adoption is being handled by a human services program, as defined in Section
             251      62A-2-101 :
             252          (i) the criminal history check described in Subsection (2)(a)(ii)(A) shall be submitted
             253      through the Criminal Investigations and Technical Services Division of the Department of
             254      Public Safety, in accordance with the provisions of Section 62A-2-120 ; and
             255          (ii) subject to Subsection (4), the criminal history check described in Subsection
             256      (2)(a)(ii)(B) shall be submitted in a manner acceptable to the court that will:
             257          (A) preserve the chain of custody of the results; and
             258          (B) not permit tampering with the results by a prospective adoptive parent or other
             259      interested party; and
             260          (b) if the adoption is being handled by a private attorney, and not a human services
             261      program, the criminal history checks described in Subsection (2)(a)(ii) shall be:
             262          (i) submitted in accordance with procedures established by the Criminal Investigations
             263      and Technical Services Division of the Department of Public Safety; or
             264          (ii) subject to Subsection (4), submitted in a manner acceptable to the court that will:
             265          (A) preserve the chain of custody of the results; and
             266          (B) not permit tampering with the results by a prospective adoptive parent or other
             267      interested party.
             268          (4) In order to comply with Subsection (3)(a)(ii) or (b)(ii), the manner in which the
             269      criminal history check is submitted shall be approved by the court.
             270          (5) Except as provided in Subsection 78B-6-131 (2), in addition to the other
             271      requirements of this section, before a child in state custody is placed with a prospective foster
             272      parent or a prospective adoptive parent, the Department of Human Services shall comply with
             273      Section 78B-6-131 .
             274          (6) (a) A person described in Subsection (2)(c) shall be licensed to practice under the
             275      laws of:


             276          (i) this state; or
             277          (ii) the state, district, or territory of the United States where the prospective adoptive
             278      parent or other person living in the prospective adoptive home resides.
             279          [(b) The evaluation described in Subsection (2)(c) shall be in a form approved by the
             280      Department of Human Services.]
             281          [(c)] (b) Neither the Department of Human Services nor any of its divisions may
             282      proscribe who qualifies as an expert in family relations or who may conduct evaluations under
             283      Subsection (2)(c).
             284          (7) Any fee assessed by the evaluating agency described in Subsection (2)(d) is the
             285      responsibility of the adopting parent or parents.
             286          (8) The person or agency conducting the preplacement adoptive evaluation shall, in
             287      connection with the evaluation, provide the prospective adoptive parent or parents with
             288      literature approved by the Division of Child and Family Services relating to adoption, including
             289      information relating to:
             290          (a) the adoption process;
             291          (b) developmental issues that may require early intervention; and
             292          (c) community resources that are available to the adoptive parent or parents.
             293          (9) A copy of the preplacement adoptive evaluation shall be filed with the court.




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    as of 2-22-11 1:06 PM


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