Amends TCA Title 36 and Title 37.

Generally under present law, a home study must be conducted and there is a six-month waiting period after the filing of the home study before an adoption may be finalized. Present law: (1) Allows the court to waive the home study requirement when the child is to be adopted by related persons; (2) Provides that unless the child is related to the petitioners, no final order of adoption may be entered before the home study has been filed with the court and before the petition has been on file at least six months and before a final court report is filed with the court; (3) Provides that if a child has already resided in the home of the petitioners for six months, the court has received the final court report concerning the circumstances of the child and the petitioners, and is satisfied that the adoption will be in the best interest of the child, the court may waive the six-month waiting period after the filing of the adoption petition and may enter an order of adoption. This bill adds that the court may also waive the home study requirement when the child has already resided in the home of the petitioners for six months and adds such circumstances to the provisions described above in (2). This bill removes the reference, in item (3) above, to the court having received the final court report concerning the circumstances of the child in order for the court to waive the six-month waiting period when the child has lived with the petitioner for six months.