top of page

Preplacement home study bill passed by Georgia legislature

Since the passage of Senate Bill 172, completion of an Adoption Home Study is necessary for all prospective adoptive families prior to a child being placed in their home.

 

Licensed adoption agencies in GA have historically completed adoptive home studies for families going through the agency adoption process and thus, have the experience and skill for doing home studies to prepare families for adoption and gather information to make sure these families are appropriate and safe families for children.

 

GALAA member agencies are all licensed child placing adoption agencies and can provide home study services for families.  Prospective adoptive families can call any of the listed agencies to find out if they provide home study services and the fees that are connected to these services.

At GALAA, we're here to advocate for good adoption policies. Here are some of the Georgia Adoption Laws you should know about.

GEORGIA ADOPTION LAWS

Georgia Adoption Law as amended September 1, 2018

House Bill 159 passed and became effective September 1, 2018 and brought some important changes to state laws regarding adoption requirements. The most important updates are below.

​

  • Previously, after surrendering parental rights to a child, the birth mother had 10 days to revoke her surrender. Under this new bill, a birth mother now has 4 days to revoke their surrender of parental rights.

  • Under House Bill 159, individuals that are looking to adopt in the state of Georgia no longer have to be a resident for a minimum of 6 months.

  • The age that adopted individuals must be in order to access the Georgia Adoption Reunion Registry has been lowered to 18 years old.

​

To view the changes in their  entirety, reference the following link; 

http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20172018/172421.pdf

​

​

H.R. 6220 "THE ADOPT ACT" was a federal bill acknowledging that adoption deserves oversight, protections, and transparency.  It was bipartisan legislation designed to eliminate online, for-profit adoption brokers in the united states.  It aimed to reduce the cost of adoption and ensure that all service providers were licensed and had appropriate oversight.  The bill failed due to significant criticism regarding effectiveness.
 

Senate Bill 100 (Andee's Law)

Georgia has passed Senate Bill 100, which will take effect on July 1, 2025. This law allows for adopted individuals in Georgia to receive their original birth certificate.  Adopted individuals aged 18 and over will be able to request a copy of their original birth certificate from the State Registrar by paying the standard fee. This access allows adoptees to gain insights into their biological heritage and personal history.

The law also provides access for relatives of deceased Adoptees.  In cases where the adopted individual is deceased, the adoptee's parents, siblings, or descendants can request the original birth certificate, facilitating family connections and historical understanding.​

The Adopt Act Update:  Act Failed

House Bill 253 (Ethan's Law)

This bill provides for limitations on ordering a child to be sent to family reunification program.

House Bill 256 Social Services, Foster Parent Bill of Rights

this bill revises provisions relating to the foster parent's bill of rights (and related definitions.  It also provides that such rights include relative caregivers and fictive kin.

Georgia State Advertising Laws

Please be advised that individuals or organizations that are not licensed by the Department of Human Services as a Child Placing Agency are prohibited from advertising adoption services on any platform in the state of Georgia. If you are an individual that is planning on adopting children in the state of Georgia, please ensure that you are working with an agency that is licensed to avoid the risk of unethical practice.

​

To review the DHS notice, reference the following link; 

https://dhs.georgia.gov/notice-updates-georgia-laws-impacting-adoption-advertisements

ABOUT GALAA

 

The Georgia Association of Licensed Adoption Agencies promotes ethical adoption practices, provides a forum for the education of its members and advocates for the best adoption policies in Georgia. We are a resource in the community to advance awareness and understanding of adoption. This includes advocacy for quality services, policies and adoption laws and practices at the state, local and federal levels.

GALAA would like to thank our sponsors for the 2025 Annual Conference. With the help of our sponsors GALAA was able to provide valuable training to assist those serving in the field with education and experiential activities to further the mission of providing ethical adoption services in the state of Georgia.  Please click below for more information about these organizations.

© 2019 Georgia Association of Licensed Adoption Agencies Website design by Adele Creative, LLC www.adelecreative.com

bottom of page