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<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="5-3A-23" title_number="5" title_name="Children" subtitle_number="3A" subtitle_name="Private Agency Guardianship and Adoption">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A child placement agency shall file a written report with a court with jurisdiction over a child whenever:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the child placement agency fails to place the child for adoption with a preadoptive parent, as defined in § 3-823(i)(1) of the Courts Article:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>within 270 days after being awarded guardianship; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>within 180 days after permanently removing the child from another placement; or</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a court does not enter a final order of adoption within 2 years after the placement.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A report under this subsection shall state each reason for the delay in placement or adoption.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Whenever a child placement agency files a report under this section, the child placement agency shall mail notice of the child’s status:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>to each of the child’s living parents who has not waived the right to notice and, if represented, counsel; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>if a court appointed counsel for the child under this subtitle, to the child’s last attorney of record.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A waiver of rights under this subsection is not valid unless the waiver appears expressly in:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the parent’s consent to guardianship; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the guardianship order.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Whenever a court receives a report under this section, the court shall hold a hearing to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>review the progress that the child placement agency has made toward adoption of the child; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>take all actions that the court considers to be in the child’s best interests.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Each year after a hearing under paragraph (1) of this subsection until the court’s jurisdiction terminates, the court shall hold another review hearing.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
