FL H1125

Adoption fees and court costs shall be waived for all adoptive parents who adopt children in the custody of the Department of Children and Families.

Court costs are changed from being reimbursed to being waived upfront for adoptions from the department.

Fees may optionally be waived for families adopting children from licensed child-placing agencies or through independent adoptions who receive or may be eligible for maintenance subsidies.

The department is authorized to reimburse up to $1,000 in nonrecurring adoption expenses retroactive to January 1, 1987, including attorney fees, birth certificate fees, travel expenses, agency fees, and physical examination fees.

The act takes effect July 1, 2018.