Bill Text: CA SB1370 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Senate Bill 1370 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Family law: adoption.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2016-11-30 - From committee without further action. [SB1370 Detail]

Download: California-2015-SB1370-Introduced.html

BILL NUMBER: SB 1370	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Runner

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2016

   An act to amend Section 8810 of the Family Code, relating to
adoption.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1370, as introduced, Runner. Family law: adoption.
   Existing law governs petitions to adopt unmarried minors. Existing
law requires prospective adoptive parents to pay a specified fee to
the State Department of Social Services or to the delegated county
adoption agency for the cost of investigating the adoption petition.
Existing law requires half of that fee to be paid at the time the
adoption petition is filed, and the remaining balance to be paid no
later than the date determined by the department or the agency.
Existing law authorizes the department or the agency to reduce the
fee to no less than $500 under certain circumstances.
   This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that
provision.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 8810 of the Family Code is amended to read:
   8810.  (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, whenever
a petition is filed under this chapter for the adoption of a child,
the petitioner shall pay a nonrefundable fee to the department or to
the delegated county adoption agency for the cost of investigating
the adoption petition. Fifty percent of the payment shall be made to
the department or delegated county adoption agency at the time the
adoption petition is filed, and the remaining balance shall be paid
no later than the date determined by the department or the delegated
county adoption agency in an amount as follows:
   (1) For petitions filed on and after October 1, 2008, four
thousand five hundred dollars ($4,500).
   (2) For petitioners who have a valid preplacement evaluation less
than one year old pursuant to Section 8811.5, or a valid private
agency adoption home study less than two years old at the time of
filing a petition, one thousand five hundred fifty dollars ($1,550)
for a postplacement evaluation pursuant to Sections 8806 and 8807.
   (b) Revenues produced by fees collected by the department pursuant
to subdivision (a) shall be used, when appropriated by the
Legislature, to fund only the direct costs associated with the state
program for independent adoptions. Revenues produced by fees
collected by the delegated county adoption agency pursuant to
subdivision (a) shall be used by the county to fund the county
program for independent adoptions.
   (c) The department or delegated county adoption agency may reduce
the fee to no less than five hundred dollars ($500)  when
  if  the prospective adoptive parents are lower
income, according to the income limits published by the Department of
Housing and Community Development, and  when  
if  making the required payment would be detrimental to the
welfare of an adopted child. The department shall develop additional
guidelines regarding income and assets to determine the financial
criteria for reduction of the fee under this subdivision.