S 4296 New Jersey Senate · 2024-2025 Regular Session

Authorizes voluntary post-adoption contact agreements.

New Jersey's S 4296 allows adoptive parents to create legally enforceable agreements with birth relatives (such as birth parents or other family members) for ongoing contact, visitation, or information sharing after an adoption is finalized. The bill requires these voluntary agreements to be submitted to a court, which must approve them only if entered into knowingly, voluntarily, and in the child's best interests - considering the child's age and preference if capable. If approved, the court issues a separate order enforceable in family court, but failure to follow the agreement cannot void the adoption. This changes current law, which provides no legal mechanism for enforceable post-adoption contact, affecting adoptive families, birth relatives, and children involved in adoptions where such agreements are consented to.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Mar 24, 2025 Last action Mar 24, 2025
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Mar 24, 2025
Introduced
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

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Legislator
Party
State
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P
Photo of Joe Vitale
Joe Vitale
DDemocratic
NJ
19