SB0103 - 104th General Assembly (2025-2026)
ADOPTION ACT
Last Action
8/15/2025 - Senate: Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0348
Statutes Amended In Order of Appearance
Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Adoption Act. Provides that a person may commence an adoption proceeding for a youth in care only if the youth in care is placed with the petitioning person or persons by the Department of Children and Family Services at the time the petition is filed, and the Department has provided its consent to the adoption or has otherwise approved the adoption. Requires the Department to adopt rules or procedures or both as to what constitutes its approval of the adoption. Provides that a person whose rights have been terminated under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 does not have to be made a defendant in a petition for adoption. Provides that the following persons must be given notice of a petition for adoption unless the person has been determined not to be a parent of the child or has had parental rights terminated by a court of competent jurisdiction: (i) any person who is recorded on the child's birth certificate as the child's parent; (ii) any person who is openly living with the child or the child's mother at the time the proceeding is initiated and holds out the child as that person's child; (iii) any person who has been identified as the child's parent by the mother in a written, sworn statement, including an Affidavit of Identification; or (iv) any person who was married to the child's mother on the date of the child's birth or within 300 days before the child's birth, unless that person has been determined not to be the parent of the child or has had parental rights terminated by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1
Provides that nothing in the changes made in the amendatory Act on who may adopt a child precludes any rights as provided in the Adoption Act on guardians consenting to an adoption. Makes the changes to the provision regarding who may adopt a child effective upon becoming law.
Senate Floor Amendment No. 2
Adds reference to:
Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the bill as introduced and amended by Senate Amendment No. 1. Provides that notice of a petition for adoption does not have to be sent to a person that has had a court of competent jurisdiction determine that the person is not the parent of the child or has terminated the person's parental rights. Makes the changes to the provision regarding who may adopt a child effective immediately.
House Floor Amendment No. 1
Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the engrossed bill with the following changes. Requires notice of the filing of an adoption petition to include any person (1) who at the time of the filing of the petition is adjudicated to be the father of the child, unless a court of competent jurisdiction has terminated the person's parental rights; (2) who at the time of the filing of the petition is adjudicated by a court of another state or territory to be the father of the child, if a certified copy of the court order has been filed with the Putative Father Registry, unless a court of competent jurisdiction has terminated the person's parental rights; (3) who at the time of the filing of the petition is registered in the Putative Father Registry as the putative father of the child, unless a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that the person is not the parent of the child or has terminated the person's parental rights. Makes the changes to the provisions regarding who may adopt a child. Effective January 1, 2026 and the provisions apply only to petitions for adoption filed on or after January 1, 2026.
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1/17/2025 | Senate | Filed with Secretary by Sen. Sara Feigenholtz |
| 1/17/2025 | Senate | First Reading |
| 1/17/2025 | Senate | Referred to Assignments |
| 1/22/2025 | Senate | Assigned to Judiciary |
| 1/31/2025 | Senate | Postponed - Judiciary |
| 2/13/2025 | Senate | Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Sara Feigenholtz |
| 2/13/2025 | Senate | Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments |
| 2/18/2025 | Senate | Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Judiciary |
| 2/19/2025 | Senate | Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted |
| 2/20/2025 | Senate | Do Pass as Amended Judiciary; 008-000-000 |
| 2/20/2025 | Senate | Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading February 25, 2025 |
| 3/03/2025 | Senate | Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Sara Feigenholtz |
| 3/03/2025 | Senate | Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Referred to Assignments |
| 3/04/2025 | Senate | Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Assignments Refers to Judiciary |
| 3/20/2025 | Senate | Second Reading |
| 3/20/2025 | Senate | Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading April 1, 2025 |
| 4/03/2025 | Senate | Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Recommend Do Adopt Judiciary; 008-000-000 |
| 4/03/2025 | Senate | Recalled to Second Reading |
| 4/03/2025 | Senate | Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Adopted; Feigenholtz |
| 4/03/2025 | Senate | Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading |
| 4/04/2025 | Senate | Third Reading - Passed; 052-000-000 |
| 4/04/2025 | Senate | Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Lakesia Collins |
| 4/04/2025 | House | Arrived in House |
| 4/04/2025 | House | Alternate Chief Sponsor Changed to Rep. Ann M. Williams |
| 4/07/2025 | House | Chief House Sponsor Rep. Ann M. Williams |
| 4/07/2025 | House | First Reading |
| 4/07/2025 | House | Referred to Rules Committee |
| 4/17/2025 | House | Assigned to Judiciary - Civil Committee |
| 4/23/2025 | House | Do Pass / Short Debate Judiciary - Civil Committee; 018-000-000 |
| 4/23/2025 | House | Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate |
| 4/30/2025 | House | House Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Ann M. Williams |
| 4/30/2025 | House | House Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee |
| 5/06/2025 | House | House Floor Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Judiciary - Civil Committee |
| 5/07/2025 | House | House Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommends Be Adopted Judiciary - Civil Committee; 016-000-000 |
| 5/16/2025 | House | House Floor Amendment No. 1 Adopted by Voice Vote |
| 5/16/2025 | House | Second Reading - Short Debate |
| 5/16/2025 | House | Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate |
| 5/20/2025 | House | Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 114-000-000 |
| 5/21/2025 | Senate | Secretary's Desk - Concurrence House Amendment(s) 1 |
| 5/21/2025 | Senate | Placed on Calendar Order of Concurrence House Amendment(s) 1 - May 22, 2025 |
| 5/22/2025 | Senate | House Floor Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Filed with Secretary Sen. Sara Feigenholtz |
| 5/22/2025 | Senate | House Floor Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Referred to Assignments |
| 5/27/2025 | Senate | House Floor Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Assignments Referred to Judiciary |
| 5/28/2025 | Senate | House Floor Amendment No. 1 Motion To Concur Recommended Do Adopt Judiciary; 008-000-000 |
| 5/31/2025 | Senate | House Floor Amendment No. 1 Senate Concurs 057-000-000 |
| 5/31/2025 | Senate | Senate Concurs |
| 5/31/2025 | Senate | Passed Both Houses |
| 6/27/2025 | Senate | Sent to the Governor |
| 8/15/2025 | Senate | Governor Approved |
| 8/15/2025 | Senate | Effective Date January 1, 2026 |
| 8/15/2025 | Senate | Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0348 |