FL H1339

Licensed child-placing agencies must establish and maintain a registry of prospective adoptive parents of infants who have received favorable preliminary home studies and want to adopt newborn infants surrendered under Florida law.

Upon taking physical custody of a surrendered newborn, licensed child-placing agencies must immediately place the infant with an identified prospective adoptive parent from the registry, who becomes the guardian pending termination of parental rights and adoption finalization.

If no registry prospective adoptive parent is available, the child-placing agency must seek emergency custody from the circuit court and make all reasonable efforts to identify an appropriate prospective adoptive parent, including contacting other licensed child-placing agencies statewide.

Child-placing agencies are prohibited from transferring the costs of establishing and maintaining the registry to prospective adoptive parents through home study fees or adoption costs.

The bill takes effect July 1, 2023.