Florida Senate - 2023                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 1322
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Ì5832641Î583264                         
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  04/04/2023           .                                
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       The Committee on Judiciary (Grall) recommended the following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete everything after the enacting clause
    4  and insert:
    5         Section 1. Subsection (6) of section 63.082, Florida
    6  Statutes, is amended to read:
    7         63.082 Execution of consent to adoption or affidavit of
    8  nonpaternity; family social and medical history; revocation of
    9  consent.—
   10         (6)(a)1.The Legislature finds that there is a compelling
   11  state interest in ensuring that a child involved in chapter 39
   12  proceedings is served in a way that minimizes his or her trauma,
   13  provides safe placement, maintains continuity of bonded
   14  placements, and achieves permanency as soon as possible.
   15         2.The Legislature finds that the use of intervention in
   16  dependency cases for the purpose of adoption has the potential
   17  to be traumatic for a child in the dependency system and that
   18  the disruption of a stable and bonded long-term placement by a
   19  change of placement to a person or family with whom the child
   20  has no bond or connection may create additional trauma.
   21         3.The Legislature finds that the right of a parent to
   22  determine an appropriate placement for a child who has been
   23  found dependent is not absolute and must be weighed against
   24  other factors that take the child’s safety, well-being, and best
   25  interests into account.
   26         4.It is the intent of the Legislature to reduce the
   27  disruption of stable and bonded long-term placements that have
   28  been identified as prospective adoptive placements.
   29         (b) If a parent executes a consent for adoption of a child
   30  minor with an adoption entity or qualified prospective adoptive
   31  parents and the minor child is under the supervision of the
   32  department, or otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of the
   33  dependency court as a result of the entry of a shelter order or,
   34  a dependency petition, or a petition for termination of parental
   35  rights pursuant to chapter 39, but parental rights have not yet
   36  been terminated, the adoption consent is valid, binding, and
   37  enforceable by the court. A consent to adoption of a child with
   38  an adoption entity or qualified prospective adoptive parents is
   39  not valid if executed during the pendency of a petition for
   40  termination of parental rights pursuant to s. 39.802.
   41         (c)(b) Upon execution of the consent of the parent, the
   42  adoption entity may file a motion shall be permitted to
   43  intervene and change placement of the child in the dependency
   44  case as a party in interest and must provide the court that
   45  acquired jurisdiction over the child minor, pursuant to the
   46  shelter order or dependency petition filed by the department, a
   47  copy of the preliminary home study of the prospective adoptive
   48  parents selected by the parent or adoption entity and any other
   49  evidence of the suitability of the placement. The preliminary
   50  home study must be maintained with strictest confidentiality
   51  within the dependency court file and the department’s file. A
   52  preliminary home study must be provided to the court in all
   53  cases in which an adoption entity has been allowed to intervene
   54  intervened pursuant to this section. Unless the court has
   55  concerns regarding the qualifications of the home study
   56  provider, or concerns that the home study may not be adequate to
   57  determine the best interests of the child, the home study
   58  provided by the adoption entity shall be deemed to be sufficient
   59  and no additional home study needs to be performed by the
   60  department.
   61         (d)1.(c) If an adoption entity files a motion to intervene
   62  and change placement of the child in the dependency case in
   63  accordance with this chapter, the dependency court must shall
   64  promptly grant an evidentiary a hearing to determine whether:
   65         a. The adoption entity has filed the required documents to
   66  be allowed permitted to intervene;
   67         b.The preliminary home study is adequate and provides the
   68  information required to make a best interests determination; and
   69         c.The whether a change of placement of the child is in the
   70  best interests of the child.
   71         2. Absent good cause or mutual agreement of the parties,
   72  the final hearing on the motion to intervene and change
   73  placement the change of placement of the child must be held
   74  within 30 days after the filing of the motion, and a written
   75  final order shall be filed within 15 days after the hearing.
   76         (e)If the child has been in his or her current placement
   77  for at least 9 continuous months or 15 of the last 24 months
   78  immediately preceding the filing of the motion to intervene, and
   79  that placement is a prospective adoptive placement, there is a
   80  rebuttable presumption that the placement is stable and that it
   81  is in the child’s best interests to remain in that current
   82  stable placement. The court shall grant party status to the
   83  current caregiver who is a prospective adoptive placement for
   84  the limited purpose of filing motions and presenting evidence
   85  pursuant to this subsection. This limited party status expires
   86  upon the issuance of a final order on the motion to intervene
   87  and change of placement of the child. To rebut the presumption
   88  established in this paragraph, the intervening party must prove
   89  by clear and convincing evidence that it is in the best
   90  interests of the child to disrupt the current stable prospective
   91  adoptive placement using the factors set forth in paragraph (f)
   92  and any other factors that the court deems relevant.
   93         (d)If after consideration of all relevant factors,
   94  including those set forth in paragraph (e), the court determines
   95  that the prospective adoptive parents are properly qualified to
   96  adopt the minor child and that the adoption is in the best
   97  interests of the minor child, the court shall promptly order the
   98  transfer of custody of the minor child to the prospective
   99  adoptive parents, under the supervision of the adoption entity.
  100  The court may establish reasonable requirements for the transfer
  101  of custody in the transfer order, including a reasonable period
  102  of time to transition final custody to the prospective adoptive
  103  parents. The adoption entity shall thereafter provide monthly
  104  supervision reports to the department until finalization of the
  105  adoption. If the child has been determined to be dependent by
  106  the court, the department shall provide information to the
  107  prospective adoptive parents at the time they receive placement
  108  of the dependent child regarding approved parent training
  109  classes available within the community. The department shall
  110  file with the court an acknowledgment of the parent’s receipt of
  111  the information regarding approved parent training classes
  112  available within the community.
  113         (f)(e)At a hearing to determine In determining whether it
  114  is in the best interests of a child to change placement the
  115  child are served by transferring the custody of the minor child
  116  to the prospective adoptive parents parent selected by the
  117  parent or adoption entity, the court shall consider and weigh
  118  all relevant factors, including, but not limited to:
  119         1. The permanency offered by both the child’s current
  120  placement and the prospective adoptive placement selected by the
  121  parent or adoption entity;
  122         2. The established bond bonded relationship between the
  123  child and the current caregiver with whom the child is residing
  124  if that placement is a prospective adoptive placement in any
  125  potential adoptive home in which the child has been residing;
  126         3. The stability of the prospective adoptive placement
  127  potential adoptive home in which the child has been residing,
  128  which must be presumed stable if the placement meets the
  129  requirements of paragraph (e), as well as the desirability of
  130  maintaining continuity of placement;
  131         4. The importance of maintaining sibling relationships, if
  132  possible;
  133         5. The reasonable preferences and wishes of the child, if
  134  the court deems the child to be of sufficient maturity,
  135  understanding, and experience to express a preference;
  136         6. Whether a petition for termination of parental rights
  137  has been filed pursuant to s. 39.806(1)(f), (g), or (h);
  138         7. What is best for the child; and
  139         7.8. The right of the parent to determine an appropriate
  140  placement for the child.
  141         (g)If after consideration of all relevant factors,
  142  including those set forth in paragraph (f), the court determines
  143  that the home study is adequate and provides the information
  144  necessary to make the determination that the prospective
  145  adoptive parents are properly qualified to adopt the child and
  146  that the change of placement is in the best interests of the
  147  child, the court must promptly order the change of placement to
  148  the prospective adoptive placement selected by the parent or
  149  adoption entity, under the supervision of the adoption entity,
  150  in accordance with a transition plan developed by the department
  151  in consultation with the current caregivers, the prospective
  152  adoptive parent, and the guardian ad litem, if one is appointed,
  153  to minimize the trauma of removal of the child from his or her
  154  current placement. The adoption entity must thereafter provide
  155  monthly supervision reports to the department until finalization
  156  of the adoption. If the child has been determined to be
  157  dependent by the court, the department must provide information
  158  to the prospective adoptive parents at the time they receive
  159  placement of the dependent child regarding approved parent
  160  training classes available within the community. The department
  161  must file with the court an acknowledgment of the prospective
  162  adoptive parents’ receipt of the information regarding approved
  163  parent training classes available within the community.
  164         (h)(f) The adoption entity is shall be responsible for
  165  keeping the dependency court informed of the status of the
  166  adoption proceedings at least every 90 days from the date of the
  167  order changing placement of the child until the date of
  168  finalization of the adoption.
  169         (i)(g)The parent who is a party to the dependency case
  170  must be provided written notice of his or her right to
  171  participate in a private adoption plan, including written notice
  172  of the factors identified in paragraph (f). This written notice
  173  must be provided with the petition for dependency filed pursuant
  174  to s. 39.501, in the order that adjudicates the child dependent
  175  issued pursuant to s. 39.507, in the order of disposition issued
  176  pursuant to s. 39.521 at the arraignment hearing held pursuant
  177  to s. 39.506, in the order that approves the case plan issued
  178  pursuant to s. 39.603, and in the order that changes the
  179  permanency goal to adoption issued pursuant to s. 39.621, the
  180  court shall provide written notice to the biological parent who
  181  is a party to the case of his or her right to participate in a
  182  private adoption plan including written notice of the factors
  183  provided in paragraph (e).
  184         Section 2. Subsection (3) and paragraph (e) of subsection
  185  (4) of section 63.087, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  186         63.087 Proceeding to terminate parental rights pending
  187  adoption; general provisions.—
  188         (3) PREREQUISITE FOR ADOPTION.—A petition for adoption may
  189  not be filed until after the date the court enters the judgment
  190  terminating parental rights pending adoption. The clerk of the
  191  court shall issue a separate case number and maintain a separate
  192  court file for a petition for adoption. A petition for adoption
  193  may not be maintained in the same court file as the proceeding
  194  to terminate parental rights. Adoptions of relatives, adult
  195  adoptions, or adoptions of stepchildren are not required to file
  196  a separate termination of parental rights proceeding pending
  197  adoption. In such cases, the petitioner may file a joint
  198  petition for termination of parental rights and adoption,
  199  attaching all required consents, affidavits, notices, and
  200  acknowledgments. Unless otherwise provided by law, this chapter
  201  applies to joint petitions.
  202         (4) PETITION.—
  203         (e) The petition must include:
  204         1. The child’s minor’s name, gender, date of birth, and
  205  place of birth. The petition must contain all names by which the
  206  child minor is or has been known, excluding the child’s minor’s
  207  prospective adoptive name but including the child’s minor’s
  208  legal name at the time of the filing of the petition. In the
  209  case of an infant child whose adoptive name appears on the
  210  original birth certificate, the adoptive name shall not be
  211  included in the petition, nor shall it be included elsewhere in
  212  the termination of parental rights proceeding.
  213         2. All information required by the Uniform Child Custody
  214  Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act and the Indian Child Welfare
  215  Act.
  216         3. A statement of the grounds under s. 63.089 upon which
  217  the petition is based.
  218         4. The name, address, and telephone number of any adoption
  219  entity seeking to place the child minor for adoption.
  220         5. The name, address, and telephone number of the division
  221  of the circuit court in which the petition is to be filed.
  222         6. A certification that the petitioner will comply of
  223  compliance with the requirements of s. 63.0425 regarding notice
  224  to grandparents of an impending adoption.
  225         7.A copy of the original birth certificate of the child,
  226  attached to the petition or filed with the court before the
  227  final hearing on the petition to terminate parental rights.
  228         Section 3. Subsection (2) of section 63.122, Florida
  229  Statutes, is amended to read:
  230         63.122 Notice of hearing on petition.—
  231         (2) Notice of hearing must be given as prescribed by the
  232  Florida Family Law Rules of Civil Procedure, and service of
  233  process must be made as specified by law for civil actions.
  234         Section 4. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 63.132,
  235  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  236         63.132 Affidavit of expenses and receipts.—
  237         (1) Before the hearing on the petition for adoption, the
  238  prospective adoptive parents parent and any adoption entity must
  239  file two copies of an affidavit under this section.
  240         (a) The affidavit must be signed by the adoption entity and
  241  the prospective adoptive parents. A copy of the affidavit must
  242  be provided to the adoptive parents at the time the affidavit is
  243  executed.
  244         (b) The affidavit must itemize all disbursements and
  245  receipts of anything of value, including professional and legal
  246  fees, made or agreed to be made by or on behalf of the
  247  prospective adoptive parents parent and any adoption entity in
  248  connection with the adoption or in connection with any prior
  249  proceeding to terminate parental rights which involved the child
  250  minor who is the subject of the petition for adoption. The
  251  affidavit must also include, for each hourly legal or counseling
  252  fee itemized, the service provided for which the hourly fee is
  253  being charged, the date the service was provided, the time
  254  required to provide the service if the service was charged by
  255  the hour, the person or entity that provided the service, and
  256  the hourly fee charged.
  257         (c) The affidavit must show any expenses or receipts
  258  incurred in connection with:
  259         1. The birth of the child minor.
  260         2. The placement of the child minor with the petitioner.
  261         3. The medical or hospital care received by the mother or
  262  by the child minor during the mother’s prenatal care and
  263  confinement.
  264         4. The living expenses of the birth mother. The living
  265  expenses must be itemized in detail to apprise the court of the
  266  exact expenses incurred.
  267         5. The services relating to the adoption or to the
  268  placement of the child minor for adoption that were received by
  269  or on behalf of the petitioner, the adoption entity, either
  270  parent, the child minor, or any other person.
  271  
  272  The affidavit must state whether any of these expenses were paid
  273  for by collateral sources, including, but not limited to, health
  274  insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, or public assistance.
  275         (3) The court must issue a separate order approving or
  276  disapproving the fees, costs, and expenses itemized in the
  277  affidavit. The court may approve only fees, costs, and
  278  expenditures allowed under s. 63.097. The court may reject in
  279  whole or in part any fee, cost, or expenditure listed if the
  280  court finds that the expense is any of the following:
  281         (a) Contrary to this chapter.;
  282         (b) Not supported by a receipt, if requested in the record,
  283  if the expense is not a fee of the adoption entity.; or
  284         (c) Not a reasonable fee or expense, considering the
  285  requirements of this chapter and the totality of the
  286  circumstances.
  287         Section 5. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
  288  63.212, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  289         63.212 Prohibited acts; penalties for violation.—
  290         (1) It is unlawful for any person:
  291         (c) To sell or surrender, or to arrange for the sale or
  292  surrender of, a child minor to another person for money or
  293  anything of value or to receive such minor child for such
  294  payment or thing of value. If a child minor is being adopted by
  295  a relative or by a stepparent, or is being adopted through an
  296  adoption entity, this paragraph does not prohibit the person who
  297  is contemplating adopting the child from paying, under ss.
  298  63.097 and 63.132, the actual prenatal care and living expenses
  299  of the mother of the child to be adopted, or from paying, under
  300  ss. 63.097 and 63.132, the actual living and medical expenses of
  301  such mother for a reasonable time, not to exceed 6 weeks, if
  302  medical needs require such support, after the birth of the child
  303  minor.
  304         Section 6. (1)On or before July 15, 2023, the Department
  305  of Children and Families shall provide to the Office of Program
  306  Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) a list of
  307  all child-caring agencies registered under s. 409.176, Florida
  308  Statutes, and all child-placing agencies licensed under s.
  309  63.202, Florida Statutes, and contact information for each such
  310  agency.
  311         (2)On or before October 1, 2023, all registered child
  312  caring agencies and licensed child-placing agencies shall
  313  provide OPPAGA with data as requested by OPPAGA related to
  314  contact information for any intermediary adoption entities the
  315  agency contracts with, fees and compensation for any portion of
  316  adoption interventions the agency has been involved with, and
  317  related costs for adoption interventions initiated under chapter
  318  39, Florida Statutes.
  319         (3)By January 1, 2024, OPPAGA shall submit a report to the
  320  President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
  321  Representatives which examines the adoption process in this
  322  state. At a minimum, the report must include:
  323         (a)An update of OPPAGA Report No. 08-05 from January 2008
  324  and expanded analysis of time to permanency by adoption and
  325  barriers to timely permanency.
  326         (b)A general overview and analysis of adoptions under
  327  chapter 63, Florida Statutes, including adoptions of children
  328  outside of the child welfare system.
  329         (c)A national comparative analysis of state processes that
  330  allow private adoption entities to intervene or participate in
  331  dependency cases and requirements for such intervention or
  332  participation.
  333         (d)A national comparative analysis of statutory fee limits
  334  for adoption services when private adoption entities intervene
  335  in dependency cases, including attorney fees, recruitment fees,
  336  marketing fees, matching fees, and counseling fees.
  337         (e)A national comparative analysis of any regulations on
  338  marketing and client recruitment methods or strategies of
  339  private adoption entities in dependency cases.
  340         Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.
  341  
  342  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
  343  And the title is amended as follows:
  344         Delete everything before the enacting clause
  345  and insert:
  346                        A bill to be entitled                      
  347         An act relating to adoption; amending s. 63.082, F.S.;
  348         providing legislative findings and intent; specifying
  349         that certain adoption consents are valid, binding, and
  350         enforceable by the court; specifying that a consent to
  351         adoption is not valid during the pendency of a
  352         petition for termination of parental rights;
  353         authorizing the adoption entity to file a specified
  354         motion under certain circumstances; making technical
  355         changes; deleting a provision regarding the
  356         sufficiency of the home study provided by the adoption
  357         entity; requiring that an evidentiary hearing be
  358         granted if a certain motion is filed; specifying the
  359         determinations to be made at such hearing; providing a
  360         rebuttable presumption; requiring the court to grant
  361         party status to the current caregivers under certain
  362         circumstances; providing when such party status
  363         expires; requiring the intervening party to prove
  364         certain factors to rebut a certain presumption;
  365         revising the factors for a best interests
  366         consideration at a certain hearing; requiring the
  367         court to order the transfer of custody of the child to
  368         the adoptive parents under certain circumstances and
  369         in accordance with a certain transition plan;
  370         requiring certain disclosures related to the right to
  371         participate in a private adoption plan; amending s.
  372         63.087, F.S.; requiring the clerk of court to issue a
  373         separate case number for a petition for adoption and
  374         prohibiting such petition from being maintained in a
  375         specified court file; revising requirements for a
  376         petition for adoption; amending s. 63.122, F.S.;
  377         requiring that a certain notice of hearing be given as
  378         prescribed in the Florida Family Law Rules of
  379         Procedure; amending s. 63.132, F.S.; making technical
  380         changes; specifying that certain fees are hourly fees;
  381         amending s. 63.212, F.S.; providing that a person
  382         contemplating adoption of a child may make specified
  383         payments to the mother of the child for a specified
  384         period of time regardless of whether the medical needs
  385         of the mother require such support; requiring the
  386         Department of Children and Families to provide a
  387         certain list of child-caring and child-placing
  388         agencies to the Office of Program Policy Analysis and
  389         Government Accountability by a specified date;
  390         requiring certain child-caring and child-placing
  391         agencies to provide certain data to OPPAGA by a
  392         specified date; requiring OPAGGA to submit a specified
  393         report to the Legislature by a specified date;
  394         providing requirements for the report; providing an
  395         effective date.