SENATE BILL NO. 1159


   May 21, 1998, Introduced by Senator GEAKE and referred to the
        Committee on Appropriations.



        A bill to amend 1939 PA 280, entitled

   "The social welfare act,"

   by amending section 115g (MCL 400.115g), as amended by 1994 PA

   238.

               THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 1         Sec. 115g.  (1) The department may pay a support subsidy to

 2    the adoptive parent or parents of an adoptee who is placed in the

 3    home of the adoptive parent or parents pursuant to the adoption

 4    code or under the adoption laws of any other state or a tribal

 5    government, if all of the following requirements are met:

 6         (a) The department has certified that the adoptee is eligi-

 7    ble for a support subsidy, based on both of the following:

 8         (i) A reasonable but unsuccessful effort was made to
             place

 9    the adoptee with an appropriate adoptive parent or parents

10    without providing an adoption subsidy under this act or a


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 1    prospective placement is the only placement in the best interest

 2    of the child and the adoptive parent or parents are requesting a

 3    support subsidy.

 4         (ii) The adoptee was in foster care for not less than 4

 5    months before certification for the support subsidy.

 6         (b) Certification was made before the adoptee's eighteenth

 7    birthday.

 8         (c) Certification was made before the petition for adoption

 9    was filed.

10         (d) The adoptive parent or parents request the support sub-

11    sidy not later than the date of confirmation of the adoption.

12         (2) The department shall determine the amount of the support

13    subsidy without regard to the income of the adoptive parent or

14    parents.  The amount shall not exceed the family foster care rate

15    that was paid for the adoptee while the adoptee was in foster

16    care, except that the amount  shall  MAY be
             increased to reflect

17    increases made in the foster care rate paid by the department.

18    The amount shall not be less than the intensive care rate that

19    was paid for the adoptee while in foster care.

20         (3) The department shall complete the certification process

21    within 30 days after it receives a request for a support

22    subsidy.













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