Amends existing law to provide an exception to residency requirements in certain adoption proceedings.

Children in foster care may be adopted by families and relatives who do not live in Idaho. According to Section 16-1506, Idaho Code, before a family can petition a court for adoption in Idaho they must reside in and maintain a dwelling in Idaho for six (6) consecutive months. It is in the best interest of foster children and the state that adoptions do not require an out-of-state family to reside in Idaho for six (6) consecutive months. This requirement delays a permanent home for some children and keeps the state involved with children and adoptive families lives longer than is required or helpful. In some cases, adoption and the permanent home have been delayed for years. This change allows children to achieve timely permanency the court has sufficient information about the child and family to finalize the adoption.