SB534: Adoption laws; creation of putative father registry.

Chief Patron

Jay O'Brien (R-39)
Served: 2002–

Progress

	Introduced
	Passed Committee
	Passed House
	Passed Senate
	Signed by Governor
	Became Law

Status

04/07/2006: signed by governor

View Entire History

01/11/2006 Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/06 062833784
01/11/2006 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
02/06/2006 Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (14-Y 0-N)
02/06/2006 Fiscal impact statement from DPB (SB534)
02/07/2006 Committee substitute printed 064876784-S1
02/07/2006 Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)
02/07/2006 VOTE: (39-Y 0-N)
02/08/2006 Read second time
02/08/2006 Reading of substitute waived
02/08/2006 Committee substitute agreed to 064876784-S1
02/08/2006 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB534S1
02/09/2006 Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)
02/09/2006 VOTE: (39-Y 0-N)
02/09/2006 Communicated to House
02/14/2006 Placed on Calendar
02/14/2006 Read first time
02/14/2006 Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
02/17/2006 Fiscal impact statement from DPB (SB534S1)
02/21/2006 Referred from Health, Welfare and Institutions
02/21/2006 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
03/03/2006 Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (20-Y 0-N)
03/03/2006 Referred to Committee on Appropriations
03/06/2006 Reported from Appropriations with substitute (24-Y 0-N)
03/06/2006 Committee substitute printed 062903784-H1
03/07/2006 Read second time
03/07/2006 Committee substitute printed 062909784-H2
03/08/2006 Passed by for the day
03/09/2006 Read third time
03/09/2006 Committee substitute from Courts of Justice rejected 062903784-H1
03/09/2006 Committee substitute from Appropriations agreed to 062909784-H2
03/09/2006 Amendments by Delegate Toscano agreed to
03/09/2006 Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB534H2
03/09/2006 Passed House with substitute with amendments (97-Y 0-N)
03/09/2006 VOTE: PASSAGE (97-Y 0-N)
03/09/2006 House substitute with amendments rejected by Senate (0-Y 36-N)
03/09/2006 VOTE: (0-Y 36-N)
03/09/2006 House insisted on substitute with amendments
03/09/2006 House requested conference committee
03/09/2006 Senate acceded to request (32-Y 0-N)
03/09/2006 VOTE: (32-Y 0-N)
03/09/2006 Conferees appointed by House
03/09/2006 Delegates: McQuigg, Athey, Toscano
03/09/2006 Conferees appointed by Senate
03/09/2006 Senators: O'Brien, Quayle, Herring
03/10/2006 Fiscal impact statement from DPB (SB534H2)
03/11/2006 Conference substitute printed 062915784-S2
03/11/2006 Conference report agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N)
03/11/2006 VOTE: (39-Y 0-N)
03/11/2006 Conference report agreed to by House (93-Y 3-N)
03/11/2006 VOTE: ADOPTION (93-Y 3-N)
03/27/2006 Enrolled
03/27/2006 Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB534ER)
03/27/2006 Signed by President
03/27/2006 Signed by Speaker
03/30/2006 Fiscal impact statement from DPB (SB534ER)
04/07/2006 G Approved by Governor-Chapter 825 (effective - see bill)
04/17/2006 G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0825)
05/10/2006 Substitute bill reprinted 062903784-H1
05/10/2006 Substitute bill reprinted 062909784-H2

Summary

Adoption laws; putative father registry. Makes procedural and administrative changes to adoption laws, creates a "designated adoption", and establishes a putative father registry. The bill removes a provision that Virginia law applies to entrustment agreements executed in the Commonwealth by agencies outside the Commonwealth. Acknowledged, adjudicated, presumed and registered fathers whose identity is not reasonably ascertainable are entitled to notice of an adoption. Consent is not required of a birth father who denies paternity under oath and in writing or a birth parent who, without just cause, has neither visited nor contacted the child for six months. Unmarried birth fathers may consent to the termination of parental rights prior to the birth of the child. The amount of time to object to proceedings is decreased from 21 to 15 days after the notice is mailed. Failure to appear at a hearing waives the right to consent to the adoption. The length of time during which an entrustment agreement can be revoked by the birth parents is reduced from until the child is 25 days old and 15 days have elapsed since execution to until the child is 10 days old and seven days have elapsed. Current law requires that a child be 10 days old before consent to a parental placement adoption can be executed in juvenile court, this bill allows such consent on the third day of the child's life. Consent is revocable for 10 days instead of the current 15 and is not revocable at all after the child is 10 days old. The bill creates a new form of adoption where a birth parent may designate adoptive parents but may use agency adoption and the exchange of certain identifying information does not have to occur. A Putative Father Registry is established and will be administered by the Department of Social Services and funded by an additional $50 filing fee. Any man who has engaged in sexual intercourse with a woman is deemed to be on legal notice that a child may be conceived and may register with the Registry which will entitle him to notice if the child is placed for adoption. Provisions related to adult and step-parent adoption are revised. View Full Text »

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Bill Text

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