SB 1005

PETITION TO ADOPT MULTIPLE CHILDREN This bill provides that if petitioners are seeking to adopt more than one child at the same time and the children are siblings who share at least one biological parent, then the petitioners may include all of the children in one petition to adopt unless the court issues a written order finding that it is in the best interest of the children that separate petitions be filed. The court clerk must only charge one filing fee for a petition for m ultiple children. PETITION TO TERMINATE PARENTAL RIGHTS OF MULTIPLE CHILDREN This bill provides that if petitioners are seeking to adopt more than one child at the same time and the children are siblings who share at least one biological parent, then th e petitioners may include all of the children in one petition to terminate parental rights, if filed separately from the adoption petition, unless the court issues a written order finding that it is in the best interest of the children that separate petit i ons be filed. The court clerk must only charge one filing fee for a petition for multiple children. ON APRIL 15, 2025, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 1005 FOR HOUSE BILL 1180, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1005, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 limits the application of this bill to petitions to adopt and removes the requirement that the siblings must share at least one biological parent in order for the petitioner to include all of the children in one petition for which only one filing fee w ill be charged.