Existing law establishes provisions governing the adoption of children. (NRS 127.010-127.186) Existing law authorizes any adult or married couple to petition a court for the adoption of a child. (NRS 127.030) Section 5.2 of this bill instead provides that one or more adults may petition a court for the adoption of a child and requires that each prospective adopting adult and consenting legal parent seeking to retain his or her parental rights must be a joint petitioner. Section 5.2 also authorizes a court to: (1) waive the hearing on a petition for the adoption of a child if the petitioner is related to the child within the third degree of consanguinity; and (2) determine that a child has a legal relationship with more than two petitioners. Sections 5.1, 5.3-5.6 and 5.7-5.9 of this bill make conforming changes to reflect that a child may have a legal relationship with more than two parents. Existing law requires that a petition for the adoption of a child who currently resides in the home of the petitioners must contain certain information. (NRS 127.110) Section 5.65 of this bill requires the petition also to include a statement that there are no known signs that the child is currently experiencing victimization from human trafficking, exploitation or abuse. Section 8 of this bill generally provides that, for the purposes of the Nevada Revised Statutes, if more than two persons have a parent and child relationship with a child pursuant to a prior court order, any reference to the parents of a child or a parent of a child must be interpreted to include any person whom a court has determined to be a parent of the child.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 126.021, 127.005, 128.090
Reprint 1: 126.021, 127.020, 127.030, 127.040, 127.043, 127.045, 127.070, 127.110, 127.123, 127.160, 127.165, 127.2827
Reprint 2: 126.021, 127.020, 127.030, 127.040, 127.043, 127.045, 127.070, 127.110, 127.123, 127.160, 127.165, 127.2827
As Enrolled: 126.021, 127.020, 127.030, 127.040, 127.043, 127.045, 127.070, 127.110, 127.123, 127.160, 127.165, 127.2827