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House passes first substitute to tighten adoption and foster-placement rules, rejects judicial-exception amendment
Summary
The House passed First Substitute HB103 to add statutory standards for foster and adoptive placements, prioritize married couples, and bar adoption by cohabiting persons; several amendments were debated — a proposed judicial-exception failed while a rulemaking amendment passed.
The Utah House on Feb. 23 passed First Substitute House Bill 103, a measure that changes how the state places children in foster care and adoption cases and adds statutory preference language for married couples.
Sponsor Representative Nora B. Stevens told the House the bill is aimed at improving outcomes for children in the custody of the state and said it "is about children, not about adults." The bill requires children in state custody to be placed only in homes that have been deemed qualified to adopt following a home study. It also instructs courts to make a "specific finding regarding the best interest of the child" in adoption proceedings and states that the Legislature finds it…
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