HB2631--UNREGULATEDCHILDCUSTODYTRANSFERS
SPONSOR: Hausman
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPass"bytheStandingCommitteeon
CrimePreventionandPublicSafetybyavoteof21to3.
Thisbillestablishesthe"UniformUnregulatedChildCustody
TransferAct".Thebillspecifiesthataparentorguardianofa
childoranindividualwithwhomachildhasbeenplacedfor
adoptionmaynottransfercustodyofthechildtoanotherperson
withtheintent,atthetimeofthetransfer,toabandontherights
andresponsibilities concerningthechild.Thattypeoftransfer
isonlyallowedthroughthemethodsdescribedinthebill.
Apersonmaynotreceivecustodyofachild,oractasan
intermediaryinatransferofcustodyofachild,iftheperson
knowsorreasonablyshouldknowthetransferviolatesanyprovision
inthebill.ThepersonmustnotifyChildren'sDivisionwithinthe
DepartmentofSocialServicesofthetransferviolationassoonas
practicable. AviolationofthismatterisaclassBmisdemeanor.
IftheChildren'sDivisionhasareasonablebasistobelievethata
personhastransferredorwilltransfercustodyofachildin
violationoftheprovisionsinthisbill,theChildren'sDivision
mayconductahomevisitasprovidedbylawandtakeappropriate
actiontoprotectthewelfareofthechild.Lawenforcement
agenciesmayalsoinvestigateapossibleviolationofthe
provisionsinthisbill.
IftheChildren'sDivisionconductsahomevisitforachild
adoptedorplacedthroughaninter-countryadoption,theChildren's
Divisionsshall:
(1)Prepareareportonthewelfareandplanforpermanent
placementofthechild;and
(2)ProvideacopytotheUnitedStatesDepartmentofState.
Apersonmaynotsolicitoradvertisetofindapersonorchildin
whichtoviolatetheprovisionsinthisbillnortoactasan
intermediaryinviolationoftheprovisionsinthisbill.A
violationofthismatterisasclassBmisdemeanor.
Withinareasonabletimebeforeachild-placingagencyplacesa
childforadoptionwithaprospectiveadoptiveparent,theagency
mustprovideorhaveprovidedtotheprospectiveadoptiveparent
generaladoptioninformation,whichshouldaddresstheinformation
asdescribedinthebill,aswellasinformationspecifictothe childthatisknowntoorreasonablyobtainablebytheagencyand
materialtotheprospectiveadoptiveparent’sinformeddecisionto
adoptthechild,whichmustincludeinformationasspecifiedinthe
bill.Also,achild-placingagencymustprovideorhaveprovided
totheprospectiveadoptiveparentguidanceandinstruction
specifictothechildtohelppreparetheparenttorespond
effectivelytoneedsofthechild,whichmustaddressissuesas
describedinthebill.Ifnewinformationisdiscoveredbythe
child-placingagencyatanypointintheadoptionprocess,theyare
toprovidethatinformationtotheprospectiveparent.
Uponrequestfromthechildortheadoptiveparent,thechild-
placingagencyortheChildren'sDivisionwillprovideinformation
abouthowtoobtainfinancialassistanceorsupportservices:
(1)Toassistthechildorparenttorespondeffectivelyto
adjustment,behavioralhealth,andotherchallenges;and
(2)Tohelppreservetheplacementoradoption.
TheChildren'sDivisionandlawenforcementcaninitiate
proceedingstodeterminewhetherachild-placingagencyhasfailed
tocomplywiththeprovisionsinthebill,whichcanresultin
eitherlawenforcementfilingforinjunctiverelieforinitiating
anadministrative proceeding,orChildren'sDivisionsuspendingor
revokingtheagency'slicense.
TheprovisionsinthisbilldonotapplytocustodyofanIndian
child,asdefinedinSection4(4)oftheIndianChildWelfareAct
of1978,25U.S.C.Section1903(4),asamended,totheextent
custodyisgovernedbytheIndianChildWelfareActof1978,25
U.S.C.Sections1901through1963,asamended.
ThisbillissimilartoHB2642(2022).
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisisastepinfightingsex
traffickingofchildrenandprovidesaneededstatutoryframework
forunregulatedtransfersofchildren. Thiscouldinclude
adoptionsandjudicialwardcustody.Supporterswanttomakesure
parentswhodon’twanttobeparentsanymoredon’tgivetheir
childrentojustanyone.Threestateshavealreadyenacted,and
threeothersareworkingtoenact,thisuniformlaw.TheState
wantstobeawarewhenachildhaschangedcustody. Thebillmakes
sensebutproponentswanttomakesureit’snotoverreachingwhena
parenthassubstanceabuseissuesorhaveothertypesofemergency.
It’salsoincumbentuponparentstoknowwheretheirchildrenare
andparentsshouldbeheldresponsibleandaccountableandthis
billdoesthat. TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Hausmanand
ArnieC.Dienoff.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.