House
File
314
-
Enrolled
House
File
314
AN
ACT
AUTHORIZING
THE
WAIVER
OF
PREPLACEMENT
INVESTIGATIONS
AND
REPORTS
IN
CERTAIN
ADOPTION
PROCEEDINGS.
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
Section
1.
Section
600.8,
subsection
2,
paragraph
a,
subparagraph
(2),
Code
2025,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
(2)
A
report
of
a
preplacement
investigation
that
has
approved
a
prospective
adoption
petitioner
for
a
placement
shall
not
authorize
placement
of
a
minor
person
with
that
petitioner
after
two
years
from
the
date
of
the
report’s
issuance.
However,
if
the
prospective
adoption
petitioner
is
a
relative
within
the
fourth
degree
of
consanguinity
who
described
by
subsection
12,
paragraph
“a”
,
subparagraph
(1)
or
(2),
and
has
assumed
custody
of
a
minor
person
to
be
adopted,
a
preplacement
investigation
of
this
petitioner
and
a
report
of
the
investigation
may
be
completed
at
a
time
established
by
the
juvenile
court
or
court
or
may
be
waived
as
provided
in
subsection
12
.
Sec.
2.
Section
600.8,
subsections
7
and
12,
Code
2025,
are
amended
to
read
as
follows:
7.
a.
Any
An
investigation
or
report
shall
not
be
required
under
this
section
shall
not
apply
when
the
in
any
of
the
following
circumstances:
House
File
314,
p.
2
(1)
The
person
to
be
adopted
is
an
adult
or
when
the
.
(2)
The
prospective
adoption
petitioner
or
adoption
petitioner
is
a
stepparent
of
the
person
to
be
adopted.
However,
in
the
case
of
a
stepparent
adoption,
the
juvenile
court
or
court,
upon
the
request
of
an
interested
person
or
on
its
own
motion
stating
the
reasons
therefor
of
record,
may
order
an
investigation
or
report
pursuant
to
this
section
.
Additionally,
if
b.
If
an
adoption
petitioner
discloses
a
criminal
conviction
or
deferred
judgment
for
an
offense
,
other
than
a
simple
misdemeanor
,
or
founded
child
abuse
report
pursuant
to
section
600.5
,
the
petitioner
shall
notify
the
court
of
the
inclusion
of
this
information
in
the
petition
prior
to
the
final
adoption
hearing,
and
the
court
shall
make
a
specific
ruling
regarding
whether
to
waive
any
investigation
or
report
required
under
subsection
1
.
12.
a.
Any
investigation
and
report
required
under
subsection
1
may
be
waived
by
the
A
juvenile
court
or
court
if
the
may
waive
an
investigation
and
report
required
under
subsection
1
in
any
of
the
following
circumstances:
(1)
The
adoption
petitioner
is
related
within
the
fourth
degree
of
consanguinity
to
the
person
to
be
adopted.
However,
if
(2)
The
adoption
petitioner
meets
all
of
the
following
requirements:
(a)
The
adoption
petitioner
is
the
current
legal
guardian
for
the
person
to
be
adopted.
(b)
The
adoption
petitioner
has
been
the
legal
guardian
for
the
person
to
be
adopted
for
the
thirty-six
consecutive
months
immediately
preceding
the
date
the
adoption
petition
is
filed.
(c)
The
adoption
petitioner
has
complied
with
section
232D.402
for
the
thirty-six
consecutive
months
immediately
preceding
the
date
the
adoption
petition
is
filed.
b.
Notwithstanding
paragraph
“a”
,
if
an
adoption
petitioner
discloses
a
criminal
conviction
or
deferred
judgment
for
an
offense
,
other
than
a
simple
misdemeanor
,
or
founded
child
abuse
report
pursuant
to
section
600.5
,
the
petitioner
shall
notify
the
court
of
the
inclusion
of
this
information
in
the
petition
prior
to
the
final
adoption
hearing
,
and
the
court
House
File
314,
p.
3
shall
make
a
specific
ruling
regarding
whether
to
waive
any
investigation
or
report
required
under
subsection
1
.
______________________________
PAT
GRASSLEY
Speaker
of
the
House
______________________________
AMY
SINCLAIR
President
of
the
Senate
I
hereby
certify
that
this
bill
originated
in
the
House
and
is
known
as
House
File
314,
Ninety-first
General
Assembly.
______________________________
MEGHAN
NELSON
Chief
Clerk
of
the
House
Approved
_______________,
2025
______________________________
KIM
REYNOLDS
Governor