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House passes bill to expand private agencies’ role in state adoptions; debate centers on cost, liability
Summary
House Bill 179, expanding the use of licensed private child-placing agencies for some adoptions of children in DCFS custody, passed the House 49–19. Sponsors said the measure speeds placements; opponents warned of fiscal and staffing impacts and asked for clarity on funding and liability.
The Utah House on Jan. 27 passed House Bill 179 by a 49–19 vote to expand the role of licensed private child-placing agencies in adoptions of children in the custody of the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS).
Sponsor’s description: Representative Nora B. Stevens, the bill sponsor, described HB179 as an extension of existing public–private partnerships to expedite placements, encouraging DCFS to contract with licensed private agencies except when DCFS already has identified a potential adoptive family. The bill requires DCFS to retain legal and physical custody until placement is…
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