SENATE WOMEN'S ISSUES, CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

SENATE, No. 949

 

with committee amendments

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED: JUNE 6, 1996

 

      The Senate Women's Issues, Children and Family Services Committee favorably reports Senate Bill No. 949 with committee amendments.

      As amended, 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 record background 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.

      These amendments make the bill identical to Assembly Bill No. 1637(1R), sponsored by Assemblymen Doria and Bagger, which was released by the Assembly Community Services Committee on June 3, 1996.