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Enrolled SB 123: Relating to adoptions and guardianships that include a subsidy payment by the state; eliminating annual review of the subsidy paid by the state after adoption of a hard-to-place child has occurred or a court has appointed a legal guardian for a hard-to-place child; and providing for an effective date.

00Enrolled SB 123 01 Relating to adoptions and guardianships that include a subsidy payment by the state; 02 eliminating annual review of the subsidy paid by the state after adoption of a hard-to-place 03 child has occurred or a court has appointed a legal guardian for a hard-to-place child; and 04 providing for an effective date. 05 _______________ 06 * Section 1. AS 25.23.210 is amended to read: 07 Sec. 25.23.210. Amount and duration of subsidy payments. The monthly 08 payment and the length of time for which a subsidy for a hard-to-place child is granted 09 are left to the discretion of the commissioner and may vary from a small monthly sum 10 to an amount not exceeding the existing rate for foster care until the child reaches the 11 age of majority, if the need continues to exist. Subsidies shall be paid from the same 12 public funds and in the same manner as foster care payments. On request of the 13 person caring for the child, the department shall review whether the amount of 14 the subsidy is appropriate.

01 * Sec. 2. AS 47.07.020(b)(10) is amended to read: 02 (10) persons under age 21 not covered under (a) of this section who the 03 department has determined cannot be placed for adoption without medical assistance 04 because of a special need for medical or rehabilitative care and who the department 05 has determined are hard-to-place children eligible for subsidy under AS 25.23.190 - 06 25.23.210 [AS 25.23.190 - 25.23.220]; 07 * Sec. 3. AS 47.07.035(31) is amended to read: 08 (31) individuals under age 21 who the department has determined 09 cannot be placed for adoption without medical assistance because of a special need for 10 medical or rehabilitative care and who the department has determined are hard-to- 11 place children eligible for subsidy under AS 25.23.190 - 25.23.210 [AS 25.23.190 - 12 25.23.220]; 13 * Sec. 4. AS 25.23.220 is repealed. 14 * Sec. 5. This Act takes effect July 1, 2003.