This legislative bill seeks to amend Nebraska's adoption laws by introducing provisions that allow for the inclusion of a second adult in the adoption process. It defines a "sole legal parent" and outlines the conditions under which a minor can be adopted by a second adult, which includes obtaining consent from the sole legal parent, establishing a parent-child relationship with the second adult, and completing an adoptive home study. The bill also clarifies consent requirements, emphasizing the necessity of consent from the sole legal parent when a second adult is involved. Additionally, it aims to modernize adoption laws by eliminating obsolete provisions, redefining terms, and ensuring that biological fathers' rights are acknowledged through new consent and notification procedures.

Moreover, the bill introduces new requirements for preplacement and postplacement adoptive home studies, mandates the provision of a complete medical history of the child upon filing an adoption petition, and expands the definition of "child" to include those adopted by a second adult. It clarifies child support responsibilities for both parents of children adopted under these new provisions and allows for separate actions for child support. The bill also updates the Parenting Act to apply uniformly to all parents, broadens its applicability to include disputes involving children adopted by a second adult, and removes previous limitations on its scope. Overall, the bill aims to streamline and clarify the legal framework surrounding adoption and parenting functions in Nebraska.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 43-101, 43-101.01, 43-102, 43-104, 43-104.08, 43-104.13, 43-104.15, 43-107, 43-512.04, 43-1401, 43-1402, 43-1404, 43-1405, 43-1410, 43-2924