GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1384

Short Title:  Adoption Assistance Supplemental Funds.  	(Public)

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Sponsors: Representatives Hunter; Adams, Alexander, Blue, Braswell, Cox, Gibson, Goodwin, Hensley, McAllister, McCrary, Oldham, Owens, and Womble.

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Referred to:  Appropriations.

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April 29, 1999

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO EXTEND ADOPTION ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS TO AGE NINETEEN AND TO PROVIDE A SUPPLEMENT TO ADOPTION ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS FOR PARENTS WHO ADOPT TEENAGERS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 108A-49(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Adoption assistance payments for certain adoptive children shall be granted in accordance with the rules of the Social Services Commission to adoptive parents who adopt a child eligible to receive foster care maintenance payments or supplemental security income benefits; provided, that the child cannot be returned to his or her parents; and provided, that the child has special needs which create a financial barrier to adoption.  Adoption assistance payments made under this section shall continue until the child reaches the age of 19 years."
Section 2.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services the sum of one million six hundred thousand dollars ($1,600,000) for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and the sum of one million eight hundred forty thousand dollars ($1,840,000) for the 2000-2001 fiscal year for the costs of implementing Section 1 of this act.
Section 3.  Adoptive parents who adopt a child who becomes legally free for adoption after attaining the age of 13 years and for whom adoption assistance payments are mandated pursuant to G.S. 108A-49(b) shall receive four hundred dollars ($400.00) per month for each such child in addition to the adoption assistance payments the adoptive parents receive under G.S. 108A-49(b).
Section 4.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Human Services the sum of four hundred eighty thousand dollars ($480,000) for the 1999-2000 fiscal year and the sum of five hundred fifty-two thousand dollars ($552,000) for the the 2000-2001 fiscal year for the costs of implementing Section 3 of this act.
Section 5.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1999.