The Florida Senate

63.301  Advisory council on adoption.--

(1)  There is created within the Department of Children and Family Services an advisory council on adoption. The council shall consist of 17 members to be appointed by the Secretary of Children and Family Services as follows:

(a)  Five members shall be representatives from licensed child-placing agencies in Florida. No agency may have more than one representative as a member.

(b)  Two members shall be attorneys licensed to practice in Florida who, as intermediaries, place children for adoption.

(c)  One member shall be a physician licensed to practice in Florida who, as an intermediary, places or has placed children for adoption.

(d)  One member shall be a representative from the judiciary.

(e)  One member shall be a representative from the family law section of The Florida Bar.

(f)  One member shall be the president of the Florida Association of Licensed Adoption Agencies.

(g)  One member shall be an adoptive parent.

(h)  One member shall be a birth parent.

(i)  One member shall be an adult adoptee.

(j)  One member shall be a Children, Youth and Families Counselor II with responsibilities for adoption and related services casework in one of the districts of the Department of Children and Family Services.

(k)  Two members shall be lay citizens who do not meet the qualifications for membership under paragraphs (a)-(j).

All members shall be appointed to serve 2-year terms.

(2)  The functions of the council shall be to:

(a)  Review, evaluate, and advise the department concerning revisions, if needed, in rules affecting adoption.

(b)  Review and evaluate law, procedures, policies, and practice in both the public and private sectors regarding permanence for special needs children; to determine areas needing legislative, administrative, or other interventions to enhance permanency; and to protect the children, adoptive parents, and birth parents involved.

(c)  Review and evaluate law, procedures, policies, and practice regarding the protection of children placed for adoption, birth parents, adoptive parents utilizing the services of the Department of Children and Family Services, licensed child-placing agencies, and intermediaries, to determine areas needing legislative, administrative, or other interventions.

(d)  Review and evaluate other areas not specifically designated in this subsection, but which impact upon adoption, to determine the need for legislative, administrative, or other interventions to improve Florida's law, procedures, policies, and practice in the area of adoption. Such areas shall be designated to study by the majority vote of the council.

(3)  Members of the council shall receive no compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenses as provided in s. 112.061.

(4)  The Department of Children and Family Services shall provide staff for the council.

History.--ss. 1, 2, ch. 86-110; s. 1, ch. 91-49; s. 5, ch. 91-429; s. 9, ch. 95-196; s. 14, ch. 97-101.