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House approves adoption bill easing home-study requirement for long-term stepparents
Summary
HB 141, sponsored by Representative Shipp, allows a stepparent who has cared for a child in their home for at least one year to proceed with adoption without a new home study; the bill passed 75-0.
House Bill 141, an adoption modification sponsored by Representative Shipp, passed the Utah House by a vote of 75-0 on Feb. 5, 2025.
Representative Shipp described the bill with a personal example. The bill removes the need for a new home study in certain stepparent adoptions when the child has been living with the stepparent for at least one year. Shipp said the change reflects cases in which a surviving stepparent has already cared for the child for years and a new home study provides little additional information.
"If the person has been living in the home has the relationship for at least 1 year or more that they don't have to do a home study," Representative Shipp said while describing the bill’s rationale.
Voting was opened and subsequently closed; the Clerk announced HB 141 passed with 75 yes votes and 0 no votes. The bill will be sent to the Senate for consideration.
The floor presentation included sponsor explanation and a recorded roll call; no floor amendments were recorded in the transcript.
