BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 687
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 4, 2011

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                   AB 687 (Fletcher) - As Amended:  April 25, 2011 

          Policy Committee:                              JudiciaryVote:9 - 
          0 

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill streamlines the adoptions process and makes technical 
          changes to the adoptions code. Specifically, this bill: 

          1)Allows licensed adoptions agencies conducting an adoptions 
            investigation to make an attempt to identify the natural 
            father.

          2)Allows private adoption agencies to perform the Interstate 
            Compact on the Placement of children administration services 
            under specific circumstances.

          3)Allows the birth parents' consent to a step-parent adoption be 
            signed in front of an authorized representative of a licensed 
            adoption agency. 

          4)Requires the court, in any action to set aside an order of 
            adoption, to consider the child's best interests.

          5)Requires the State Registrar to issue a new birth certificate 
            within 120 days of receipt of an adoption report and within 90 
            days of an expedited request.

          6)Establishes a $150 fee for an expedited birth certificate.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          The Judicial Council does not anticipate any additional costs 
          for the courts due to this legislation. 

           COMMENTS  








                                                                  AB 687
                                                                  Page  2


           Purpose  . This is the Academy of California Adoption Lawyers' 
          annual adoption bill.  According to the author, this bill is 
          necessary to resolve technical issues and other more substantive 
          issues in order to streamline adoption procedures.  This bill 
          focuses on improving the procedures for terminating the parental 
          rights of non-presumed or alleged fathers for the purposes of 
          adoptions.  Revisions over the years necessitate reconciling the 
          provisions within this section of the law as well as with other 
          sections of the Family Code.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916) 
          319-2081