ASSEMBLY COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1637

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JUNE 3, 1996

      The Assembly Community Services Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 1637 with committee amendments.

      As amended by committee, this bill amends P.L.1993, c.345 (C.9:3-54.2) by recognizing that the criminal history record fingerprint background check which is conducted on a prospective adoptive parent whose child's adoption in a foreign country is recognized by the United States government, shall be valid for the prospective adoptive parent for fulfilling the home study requirement for New Jersey.

      This will ensure that prospective adoptive parents do not have to undergo duplicative background checks and will expedite the home study requirement.

      The committee amendments are technical in nature and clarify that the federal criminal history check conducted by the Immigration and Naturalization Service would be valid for the prospective adoptive parent for fulfilling the home study requirement for New Jersey.