Children: temporary custody.

Assembly Member Celeste Rodriguez's proposal to modify California's adoption filing requirements aims to accelerate the timeline for processing hospital-based adoptions while maintaining existing child safety protocols. The legislation would reduce the period for prospective adoptive parents to file adoption requests from 10 to 7 working days after executing an adoption placement agreement.

The measure preserves current provisions allowing peace officers to take temporary custody of hospitalized children when their release would pose immediate danger, while maintaining the 30-day deadline for filing guardianship petitions after hospital discharge. The bill retains requirements for detailed documentation, including the Health Facility Minor Release Report, which must contain notices about parental rights and specify that the document does not constitute adoption consent. When adoption plans are terminated, prospective adoptive parents or agencies must notify child welfare authorities and cannot release children to birth parents until officials verify the transfer's safety.

The legislation continues existing protections under the federal Indian Child Welfare Act and maintains the requirement that hospitals complete release reports upon birth parent request. Peace officers retain discretion in investigating prospective adoptive parents, as the bill includes no new investigative mandates. County child welfare agencies would process adoption paperwork under the condensed timeline while adhering to current oversight responsibilities.