Senate Bill 1393 amended Family Code Section 8919 to include specific requirements that must be met in order for a a California Superior Court to issue a final readoption order. (Readoption is the process of completing a second adoption in California after a foreign born child has been adopted in a foreign country by California residents.) Currently, readoption in California is not mandatory by California law, but may be required by the federal government for immigration purposes.
The bill also establishes alternative requirements for readoption when the original adoption occurred in a country whose adoption laws have been certified by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) as meeting or exceeding those of California’s. The countries eligible for certification are: China, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, Russia, and South Korea. The certification process is currently being developed by the CDSS. When these countries have been certified, the state will provide further instructions. A new birth certificate shall be established by the State Registrar upon receipt of a readoption order issued by the Superior Court. [Download]