1006                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                        [CH. 622

erally revising the adoption laws of the State, and relating to adop-
tion procedure, and correcting certain wording therein.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Sections 76, 77, 78, 81, 82, 83, 84 and 91 of Article 16 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1951 Edition and 1954 Supplement),
title "Chancery", sub-title "Adoption", be and they are hereby re-
pealed and re-enacted, with amendments, and that new Section 80A
be and it is hereby added to said Article and sub-title, to follow im-
mediately after Section 80 thereof, all to read as follows:

Adoption

76.    (Legislative Policy.) The General Assembly hereby declares
its conviction that the policies and procedures for adoption contained
in this sub-title are socially necessary and desirable, having as their
purpose the three-fold protection of (1) the adoptive child, from un-
necessary separation from his natural parents and from adoption by
person unfit to have such responsibility, and, (EXCEPT IN ALLE-
GANY, GARRETT AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES), whenever
possible PRACTICABLE, from adoption by persons of a different re-
ligious belief than that of the minor or his parents, unless the natural
parent or parents specifically indicate or consent to a different choice;
(2) the natural parents, from hurried and abrupt decisions to give up
the child; and (3) the adopting parents, by providing them informa-
tion about the child and his background, and protecting them from
subsequent disturbance of their relationships with the child by
natural parents.

The General Assembly further declares that this sub-title is related
to the sub-title on "Child Care" of Article 88A, Sections 19-31, of
this Code, and should be read in relation thereto.

77.    (Jurisdiction and Venue.) The Circuit Courts of the several
counties of this State, sitting in equity, and any court of Baltimore
City having equity jurisdiction, shall have jurisdiction of all petitions
for adoption under this sub-title. Any such petition may be filed in
the county, or in Baltimore City, as the case may be, in which at the
time of filing the petition (1) the petitioner or petitioners have their
domicile; or (2) [the person to be adopted is domiciled;] the peti-
tioner or petitioners have had their place of abode for a period of at
least 90 days next preceding the filing of the petition; or (3) any
lawfully licensed child placement agency, having legal or physical
care, custody or control of the person to be adopted is located; [or
(4) such petition] or (4) the person to be adopted is domiciled, if
such person be an adult or be related by blood or marriage to the peti-
tioner; or (5) such petition may be filed in any court having equity
jurisdiction which had prior to the filing of the petition for adoption
assumed a continuing jurisdiction over the custody of the person to
be adopted. Provided, however, except in [(4)] (5) above no such
petition shall be filed unless either the person to be adopted or the
custodian shall be physically within this State and subject to the
jurisdiction of the courts thereof. PROVIDED, THAT, IN ALLE-
GANY, GARRETT AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES, THE CIR-
CUIT COURTS, SITTING IN EQUITY, SHALL HAVE JURIS-
DICTION OF ALL PETITIONS FOR ADOPTION UNDER THIS
SUB-TITLE. ANY SUCH PETITION MAY BE FILED IN ALLE-