A bill

to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 63-9-520, relating to adoption Investigations and reports, so as to give the court the discretion to waive the requirement for certain preplacement reports and any postplacement investigation and report; and by amending Section 63-9-510, relating to Temporary placement and custody of adoptees, so as to make conforming changes.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.Section 63-9-520(A)(1)(b) and (2) before the lettered subitems of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

(b) if the waiting period for an adoptive placement exceeds one year from the date the preplacement investigation report is completed, the report must be updated before the placement of a child for the purpose of adoption to determine any change in circumstances; provided, the court in its discretion may waive the requirement for an updated preplacement investigation report;

(2) A postplacement investigation and report of this investigation must be completed after the filing of the adoption petition; provided, the court in its discretion may waive the requirement for a postplacement investigation and report. Copies of this report must be provided to the adoption petitioner and must be filed with the court at the final hearing on the adoption provided for in Section 63-9-750. A postplacement investigation and report of this investigation must:

SECTION 2.Section 63-9-510 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

Section 63-9-510.Once a petitioner has received the adoptee into his home and a petition for adoption has been filed, the petitioner has temporary custody of the adoptee and is responsible for the care, maintenance, and support of the adoptee, including necessary medical or surgical treatment, except as provided in Article 7. Unless waived by the court, a postplacement investigation and report of this investigation pursuant to Section 63-9-520 must be completed before the final hearing. Unless the adoptee is removed pursuant to Subarticle 3, Article 3, Chapter 7, when adoptive parents have received the adoptee into their home for the purpose of adoption but no petition has been filed pursuant to Section 63-9-710, the child-placing agency shall secure an order from the family court before removal of the child from the adoptive parents. At the hearing the burden of proof is on the child-placing agency to prove that continued placement with the adoptive family is not in the adoptee's best interest.

SECTION 3.This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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