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<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="5-338" title_number="5" title_name="Children" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Guardianship to and Adoption Through Local Department">
  <level label="a">
    <text>A juvenile court may enter an order for a child’s adoption under this Part III of this subtitle only if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>both the child’s parents are dead;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>an administrative, executive, or judicial body of a state or other jurisdiction has granted a governmental unit or person other than a parent the power to consent to adoption, and the unit or person consents;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>parental rights have been terminated in compliance with the laws of a state or other jurisdiction, as described in § 5–305 of this subtitle; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <level label="1">
          <text>at least one of the child’s parents:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>is represented by an attorney;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>has had an opportunity to receive adoption counseling and guidance services; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="C">
          <text>consents to the adoption:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="I">
          <text>in writing; or</text>
          <text>II.    knowingly and voluntarily, on the record before the juvenile court; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the parent who does not consent:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>is dead; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <level label="I">
            <text>despite reasonable efforts as provided in § 5–316 of this subtitle, cannot be located;</text>
            <text>II.    has not contacted the local department with custody of the child or the child for at least 180 days immediately before the filing of the petition; and</text>
            <text>III.    fails to respond to a show–cause order served under § 5–334 of this subtitle;</text>
          </level>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the director of the local department with custody of the child consents; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the child:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>is represented by an attorney; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <level label="1">
          <text>if at least 10 years old, consents; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>if under the age of 10 years, does not object.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>In this subsection, “disability” means:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of an individual’s major life activities;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>a record of having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of an individual’s major life activities; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>being regarded as having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of an individual’s major life activities.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Disability” shall be construed in accordance with the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, P.L. 110–325.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A local department may not withhold consent for the sole reason that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the race, religion, color, or national origin of a prospective adoptive parent differs from that of the child or parent; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a prospective adoptive parent has a disability.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
