IA HSB41

Courts may waive preplacement investigation and report requirements for adoption petitioners who are the current legal guardian of the person to be adopted and have served as guardian for 36 consecutive months immediately preceding the adoption petition filing

Legal guardians seeking this waiver must have complied with guardian duties and responsibilities under section 232D.402 for the entire 36-month period

Courts retain authority to waive preplacement requirements for adoption petitioners related to the adoptee within the fourth degree of consanguinity (existing law)

If an adoption petitioner discloses a criminal conviction or deferred judgment (other than simple misdemeanor) or a founded child abuse report, the court must make a specific ruling on whether to waive investigation requirements

Preplacement investigations and reports continue to be automatically exempt for adult adoptions and stepparent adoptions, though courts may order them in stepparent cases upon request or on their own motion