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103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4920
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop
recommendations for proposed model adoption legislation and procedures.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 8, 1994
Mrs. LOWEY (for herself and Mr. WYDEN) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services
to develop recommendations for proposed model adoption
legislation and procedures.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. MODEL ADOPTION LEGISLATION AND PROCE-
DURES.
Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services
(referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall issue,
based on the recommendations of the panel described in
section 2, proposed model adoption legislation and proce-
dures and publish such proposal in the Federal Register
for comment. After soliciting and giving due consideration
to the comments of interested individuals, groups, and or-
ganizations, and consulting further with such panel, the
Secretary shall issue and publish model adoption legisla-
tion and procedures which shall not conflict with the provi-
sions of any interstate compact in operation pursuant to
which States are making, supervising, or regulating place-
ments of children. The model adoption legislation and pro-
cedures shall provide that the principal consideration in
an adoption proceeding is providing for the best interest
of the child, and shall contain provisions regarding the
best interests of children with special needs.
SEC. 2. ADVISORY PANEL.
(a) Not later than 90 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall appoint a panel (re-
ferred to in this Act as the ‘‘panel’’) to be composed of
not less than 11 nor more than 17 members generally rep-
resentative of a broad range of public, voluntary, and legal
organizations, agencies, and persons interested and with
expertise and experience in facilitating the achievement of
the purposes of this title (including, but not limited to,
child welfare organizations, including those representative
of minorities; birth parents; and adoptive parent organiza-
tions). The panel shall—
(1) review current conditions, practices, and
laws relating to adoption, with special reference to
their effect on facilitating or impeding the location
of suitable adoptive homes for children who would
benefit by adoption and the completion of suitable
adoptions for such children; and
(2) not later than 12 months after the date on
which the members of the panel have been ap-
pointed, propose to the Secretary model (including
adoption assistance agreement) legislation and pro-
cedures relating to adoption designed to facilitate
adoption by families of all economic levels.
(b) The panel shall be terminated 30 days after the
Secretary publishes the final model legislation and proce-
dures pursuant to section 1.
(c) Members of the panel, other than those regularly
employed by the Federal Government, while serving on
business of the panel shall be entitled to receive compensa-
tion at a rate not in excess of the daily equivalent of the
rate payable, under section 5322 of title 5, United States
Code, for positions in the General Schedule above GS–15,
including traveltime; and while so serving away from their
homes or regular places of business, they may be allowed
travel expenses (including per diem in lieu of subsistence)
as authorized by section 5703 of such title for persons in
the Government service employed intermittently.
SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.
The Secretary shall take such steps as he or she
deems necessary to encourage and facilitate the enactment
in each State of comprehensive adoption assistance legisla-
tion and the establishment in each State of the model leg-
islation and procedures published pursuant to section 1.
The Secretary shall coordinate efforts to improve State
legislation with national, State, and local child and family
services organizations, including organizations representa-
tive of minorities and adoptive families.
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