HB 17-1304

House Bill 17-1304, also known as the "Adoptee Present In-state Exception," changes Colorado's adoption laws. Currently, a child must be physically present in Colorado when someone files an adoption petition for them. The bill allows adoptions to proceed even if the child is not in the state, as long as they have been under the supervision of a Colorado court for at least six months. This change affects adoptive parents and children who are part of the Colorado legal system but may be outside the state. Since the bill has been signed into law, it is now enforceable and will impact future adoption proceedings in Colorado.

Official Summary

Under current law, for a child to be adopted, the child must be present in the state at the time that the petition for adoption is filed. Under the bill, the child need not be present in the state if the child has been under the jurisdiction of a court in Colorado for at least 6 months. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

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