Senate Bill 348 Summary

• Changes the department of child services requirement from "may" to "shall" make adoption subsidy payments for children with special needs who have an agreement or administrative appeal order in place.

• Prohibits the department from terminating adoption subsidy agreements due to insufficient funds in the adoption assistance account.

• Repeals provisions that allowed the department to approve new adoption subsidy agreements only for children who were wards of the department at the time the adoption petition was filed or to prioritize funding based on wardship status.

• Requires the department to allocate necessary funds to the adoption assistance account to meet adoption subsidy payment obligations and enter into agreements with all eligible adoptive parents.

• Effective July 1, 2012.