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Committee clears bill letting DCFS director waive 6‑month residency rule in narrow adoption cases
Summary
House Bill 1292 would let the director of the Division of Child and Family Services waive a six‑month residency requirement for two narrow adoption scenarios: infants under six months and older youth (about age 16) in life-skills programs; the committee reported the bill do pass.
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to report House Bill 1292 do pass after sponsors said the measure would give the Division of Child and Family Services director limited authority to waive a six‑month residency requirement in two specific adoption situations.
Representative Mary Bentley said the bill permits a waiver for (1) infants under age six months—often given up under Arkansas’ safe-haven processes—so they can be placed permanently without waiting six months, and (2) older foster youth (around age 16) who are participating in DCFS life-skills or vocational programs and seek permanency before they turn 18. "No one wants to be 18 and not have a permanent home," Bentley said.
Committee members repeatedly confirmed that (1) the waiver applies to the child’s residency requirement rather than the adoptive parents’ residency; (2) private adoptions and private adoption-agency requirements were not changed; and (3) judicial approval remains required for final adoption orders.
No public opponents signed up. The committee moved the bill do pass; the chair announced the motion carried after a voice vote.
