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Committee approves bill allowing DCFS director to waive 6‑month residency in two adoption cases
Summary
House Bill 1292 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee to give the Division of Child and Family Services director authority to waive a six‑month residency requirement in two narrow categories: infants surrendered under safe‑haven law and older youth (about 16) seeking permanent placement.
The Senate Judiciary Committee recommended passage of House Bill 1292 after sponsor Rep. Mary Bentley explained the bill’s limited scope and members asked questions about vetting and judicial oversight.
"House Bill 1292 gives the director of Division of Child and Family Services the ability to waive the residency requirement for two vocational programs through DCFS," Bentley said, and later clarified the waiver applies in two specific situations: infants surrendered under the state’s safe‑haven law and older adolescents (around age 16) who have prospective adoptive parents and risk turning 18 before permanent placement.
Committee members pressed on who the waiver applies to (the child, not the adoptive parents), whether private adoptions were affected (Bentley said private-adoption language is unchanged), and whether vetting of prospective adoptive parents remains in place. Bentley and committee members emphasized the judge retains final approval and DCFS vetting remains part of the process.
Senator Tucker moved a do‑pass recommendation and Senator Gilmore seconded. The committee approved the motion by voice vote.
