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, as current law only allows waivers for adoption petitioners who are related to the person to be adopted within the fourth degree of consanguinity.

Additionally, the bill clarifies 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 decide whether to waive the required investigation or report. The amendments aim to streamline the adoption process while ensuring that necessary safeguards are in place for the welfare of the child involved.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 600.8