CS/HB 1377 Summary

• Establishes that adoption consents executed during dependency proceedings are valid and binding if executed within 30 days after filing a petition for termination of parental rights.

• Permits adoption entities to file a motion to intervene and change placement of dependent children, requiring the court to hold a hearing within 30 days to determine if the change is in the child's best interests.

• Creates a rebuttable presumption that a placement is stable and in the child's best interests if the child has been in a prospective adoptive placement for at least 9 continuous months or 15 of the last 24 months, requiring clear and convincing evidence to rebut.

• Requires adoption entities to provide monthly supervision reports to the department until adoption finalization and mandates the department provide prospective adoptive parents with information about approved parent training classes.

• Requires separate case numbers and court files for adoption petitions, changes notice requirements to Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, and directs OPPAGA to submit a report by January 1, 2024 analyzing the adoption process and private entity fees.