HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1287

             As Reported By House Committee on:

                       Human Services

Title:  An act relating to adoption.

Brief Description:  Revising provisions for adoption.

Sponsor(s):  Representatives Heavey, Moyer, Franklin, Rayburn, Jones, May, Leonard, Tate, Hine, Ballard, Broback, Winsley, Wineberry, Anderson, Brekke, Miller, Riley, Kremen, Forner and Paris.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Human Services, February 14, 1991, DPS.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

HUMAN SERVICES

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 1287 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Leonard, Chair; Riley, Vice Chair; Winsley, Ranking Minority Member; Tate, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Anderson; Beck; Brekke; Hargrove; Hochstatter; R. King; and H. Myers.

Staff:  David Knutson (786-7146).

Background:  During the 1990 legislative session, Engrossed Substitute Senate Concurrent Resolution 8429 was adopted.  It created the Washington State Adoption Commission and charged it to recommend minimum standards of practice for adoptions in Washington.  The commission reviewed 11 issues relating to adoptions including; training for adoptive parents and training on cultural relevancy, the education and qualifications of adoption workers, verification of pre-birth consents, independent counsel for relinquishing parents and adopted children, forms used for mandated health information, disclosure statements regarding fees and services, standardized court rules for adoptions, state implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act, birth father registries, medical insurance for adoptions, family leave as it relates to adoption and advertising for adoptions.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The language requiring adoption consent forms to determine whether adoptive children are Indian is clarified.  Witnesses to prebirth consents are not required to attest that relinquishing parents are aware of all their rights.  Persons who prepare preplacement reports need only include a statement of their training or experience.  The contents of the preplacement report is changed to include a discussion of adoption as a lifelong developmental process.  The standardized medical form will contain both the birth families and the adoptive child's medical history. 

Fiscal Note:  Requested February 1, 1991.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The standards of practice for adoption vary depending on whether it is an independent or agency adoption.  Adoptive parents, birth parents and adoptive children will all benefit from consistent standards and practices, for both agency and independent adoptions.   The Washington State Adoption Commission held many public meetings on the issue of standards of practice for adoption and developed a good proposal for consistent standards and practices.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Representative Heavey, Chair, Washington State Adoption Commission; Laurie Lippold and Michele Hinz, Washington State Adoption Commission members; Colleen Waterhouse and Pat Weber, Department of Social and Health Services; and Steve Gustaveson, Attorney General's Office.