S.B. 4
- *SB4*
SENATE BILL NO. 4–COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
(ON BEHALF OF THE DIVISION OF CHILD AND
FAMILY SERVICES OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES)
PREFILED OCTOBER 8, 2024
____________
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to consent to adoption.
(BDR 11-294)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
Effect on the State: No.
~
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
AN ACT relating to adoption; authorizing certain caseworkers to
attest to a consent to a specific adoption under certain
circumstances; and providing other matters properly
relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law establishes provisions governing the adoption of children. (NRS 1
127.010-127.1869) Existing law authorizes an adult to petition a court for the 2
adoption of a child and requires written consent to the specific adoption proposed 3
by the petition from each legal parent of the child and any legal guardian of the 4
child. (NRS 127.030, 127.040) Under existing law: (1) at least two witnesses must 5
attest to the consent to a specific adoption; and (2) if neither the petitioner nor the 6
spouse of the petitioner is related to the child within the third degree of 7
consanguinity, at least one of the two witnesses must be a social worker employed 8
by certain agencies. (NRS 127.053) Section 1 of this bill revises this requirement 9
by specifying that, in such cases, at least one of the two witnesses must be either a 10
social worker or a caseworker employed by certain agencies. 11
– 2 –
- *SB4*
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. NRS 127.053 is hereby amended to read as follows: 1
127.053 No consent to a specific adoption executed in this 2
State, or executed outside this State for use in this State, is valid 3
unless it: 4
1. Identifies the child to be adopted by name, if any, sex and 5
date of birth. 6
2. Is in writing and signed by the person consenting to the 7
adoption as required in this chapter. 8
3. Is acknowledged by the person consenting and signing the 9
consent to adoption in the manner and form required for 10
conveyances of real property. 11
4. Contains, at the time of execution, the name of the person or 12
persons to whom consent to adopt the child is given. 13
5. Indicates whether the person giving the consent has reason 14
to know that the child is an Indian child and, if the person does not 15
have reason to know that the child is an Indian child, includes a 16
statement that the person will inform the court immediately if, 17
before the entry of the order or decree of adoption pursuant to NRS 18
127.150, the person receives information that provides reason to 19
know that the child is an Indian child. 20
6. Is attested by at least two competent, disinterested witnesses 21
who subscribe their names to the consent in the presence of the 22
person consenting. If neither the petitioner nor the spouse of a 23
petitioner is related to the child within the third degree of 24
consanguinity, then one of the witnesses must be a social worker or 25
a caseworker employed by: 26
(a) An agency which provides child welfare services; 27
(b) An agency licensed in this state to place children for 28
adoption; 29
(c) A comparable state or county agency of another state; or 30
(d) An agency authorized under the laws of another state to 31
place children for adoption, if the natural parent resides in that state. 32
Sec. 2. This act becomes effective on July 1, 2025. 33
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