The bill amends Section 600.8 of the Iowa Code to allow for the waiver of preplacement investigations and reports in certain adoption proceedings. Specifically, it permits a juvenile court to waive these requirements if the adoption petitioner is the current legal guardian of the person to be adopted and has maintained that guardianship for at least 36 consecutive months prior to filing the adoption petition. This change expands the circumstances under which a waiver can be granted, moving beyond the previous stipulation that only allowed waivers for relatives within the fourth degree of consanguinity.

Additionally, the bill outlines specific conditions under which the court may waive the investigation and report requirements, including the necessity for the adoption petitioner to have complied with their responsibilities as a guardian during the specified time frame. It also mandates that if an adoption petitioner has a criminal conviction or founded child abuse report, they must notify the court before the final adoption hearing, allowing the court to make a ruling on whether to waive the investigation or report. This legislative change aims to streamline the adoption process while ensuring that necessary safeguards remain in place.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 600.8