SB167 Summary

• Creates Arkansas Code 9-9-106 to establish a legal framework for post-adoption contact agreements between adoptive/adopting parents and birth relatives of adopted children

• Defines eligible parties as adoptive parents, adopting parents, birth relatives (including parents, grandparents, siblings), and children ages 14-18 who may voluntarily enter into written agreements allowing visitation, contact, or information exchange

• Requires post-adoption contact agreements to include written warnings that agreements cannot be used to set aside adoption decrees or affect child custody, regardless of non-compliance by any party

• Establishes court procedures allowing parties to file petitions to enforce, modify, or terminate agreements under continuing jurisdiction of the court that entered the original adoption decree, with courts using "best interest of the child" standard

• Permits courts to require mediation or alternative dispute resolution, and makes the filing party responsible for litigation costs unless the filing party is a child or another party failed to comply without good cause