FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 6494

                              C 146 L 90

BYSenate Committee on Children & Family Services (originally sponsored by Senators Smith, Vognild, Bailey, Stratton and Conner)

Revising provisions for adoption.

Senate Committee on Children & Family Services

House Committe on Human Services

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

During the 1989 interim, an adoption study committee studied the issues around adoption and reported their findings to the Legislature.  The committee membership represented most of the major adoption agencies in the state as well as numerous independent adoption practitioners and persons involved with adoption on a personal or professional basis.  Adoption issues considered by the Legislature during the past two years were reviewed along with other issues raised by members of the committee.  Twenty-four recommendations for change in the law, administrative rule or professional practice were made.

There is currently no statutory requirement for a criminal background check to be done on prospective adoptive parents.

Although it is the only statutorily required check on the suitability of prospective adoptive parents, the pre-adoption home study is sometimes done by persons with no adoption related education or experience.

The Department of Social and Health Services has an on-going advisory committee for issues involving children.  The study committee recommended that this group consider adoption issues and be expanded to include representation of persons involved in adoption.

SUMMARY:

Statutes regarding adoption were changed as follows:

Persons who are appointed by the courts to do pre-adoptive home studies must have a masters degree and one year of experience in adoption issues, a bachelors degree and two years of experience, or must be reviewed by the court to determine that they have done satisfactory home studies in the past, and should be "grandparented" into the law.

All pre-placement home studies of prospective adoptive parents must include a criminal background check provided by the Washington State Patrol Criminal Identification Network.

Before a birth parent signs a relinquishment of parental rights, he/she must sign a document stating that he/she has been advised of social and financial assistance which may be available in the community.

DSHS must report on the information compiled from the Adoption Data Cards filed at the time adoptions are finalized.

All adoption facilitators (agencies, attorneys or doctors) must provide to adoptive parent(s) written information on how to find and evaluate appropriate adoption therapists.

The DSHS Children's Services Advisory Committee is to include a member representing the adoption community and the committee is specifically named as advisor for the secretary regarding adoption related issues.

Counties are required to provide the name and telephone number of at least one person who is willing to assist persons interested in doing an adoption records search.

The definition of birth parent was modified so that persons found guilty under 9A.42 RCW (criminal mistreatment) or 9A.44 RCW (sexual offenses) would not be allowed the privileges of birth parents.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

     Senate   46    0

     House 97  0 (House amended)

     Senate          (Senate concurred in part)

     House           (House receded in part)

     House 97  0

     Senate   45    0

EFFECTIVE:June 7, 1990