HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 6494

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

Revising provisions for adoption.

House Committe on Human Services

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (10)

      Signed by Representatives Sayan, Chair; Scott, Vice Chair; Moyer, Ranking Republican Member; Tate, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Anderson, Brekke, Hargrove, Leonard, Raiter and Winsley.

House Staff:Dave Knutson (786-7146)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 28, 1990

BACKGROUND:

There is currently no statutory requirement for criminal background checks on prospective adoptive parents.

The pre-adoption home study of prospective adoptive parents is sometimes done by persons with no adoption related education or experience. Birth parents may not be aware of social and financial services available in the community, prior to signing a relinquishment of parental rights form.

The Department of Social and Health Services has an on-going advisory committee for issues involving children.  The committee does not currently consider adoption issues or include representation of persons involved in adoption.

Adoptive parents often do not know how to find and evaluate adoption therapists.

There is presently no statutory authority for birth parents and adoptive parents to enter into voluntary agreements concerning communication and contact regarding the adopted child.  The term birth parent is not defined in law.

SUMMARY:

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 work in the past, and 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, they must sign a document stating that they have been advised of social and financial assistance that may be available in the community.

The Department of Social and Health Services must report on the information compiled from the Adoption Data Cards filed at the time adoptions are finalized.

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

The department's Children's Services Advisory Committee will 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 has made known to the county their willingness to assist persons interested in doing an adoption records search.

A definition of birth parent is established.  It excludes persons whose parental rights are terminated because of a felony conviction.  Voluntary agreements between birth parents and adoptive parents concerning communication and contact regarding the adopted child is authorized.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Mark Demaray; Jane Belt, WARM; Laurie Lippold, Children's Home Society; and Patrick Weber, Department of Social and Health Services.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    People who perform pre-adoption home studies should have education and experience in social work.  Birth parents who consider terminating their parent-child relationship should be fully aware of available social and financial services.  Prospective adoptive parents should be subjected to criminal history background checks before adopting children.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 97; Excused 1 - 2/28

Excused:    Representative Chandler