This bill amends various sections of Alaska's laws regarding the placement of children in need of aid, adoption processes, and foster care licensing. Key provisions include the requirement for the Department of Family and Community Services to provide advance notice to relevant parties, including foster parents, when a nonemergency transfer of a child is proposed. Foster parents who have cared for a child for at least 18 months can request a hearing to oppose the transfer, needing to prove that it would not be in the child's best interests. Additionally, the bill mandates that the department conduct a diligent search for suitable placements with adult family members or friends when a child is removed from their home, and it outlines the rights of foster parents to access medical records of the children in their care.

The bill also introduces a new section that emphasizes the importance of a diligent search for adult family members or friends suitable for placement, requiring the department to notify these individuals about their rights and options regarding the child's care. It clarifies that poverty or inadequate housing cannot be used as prima facie evidence against placing a child with an adult family member or friend. Furthermore, the bill establishes that if an adult family member requests to adopt a child, the department must approve the request unless there is good cause not to do so. The effective date for these changes is set for January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
SB0088A, AM SB 88, introduced 02/05/2025: 47.10.080, 47.10.145, 47.10.084, 47.10.088, 47.10.142, 47.14.100, 47.32.030, 47.32.032
SB0088B, AM CSSB 88(HSS), introduced 04/09/2025: 47.10.080, 47.10.145, 47.10.084, 47.10.088, 47.10.142, 47.14.100, 47.32.030, 47.32.032