HARRY HUGHES, Governor

1931

The third sentence of former Article 16, § 86, which
provided that the provisions of this subtitle are
severable, is deleted as unnecessary in light of
Article 1, § 23 of the Code.

5-303. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.

(A)  IN GENERAL.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
OF THIS SUBTITLE THAT CONCERN ADOPTION ARE SOCIALLY NECESSARY AND
DESIRABLE.

(B)  PURPOSES OF SUBTITLE.

THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBTITLE ARE TO PROTECT:

(1)  CHILDREN FROM:

(I)  UNNECESSARY SEPARATION FROM THEIR NATURAL
PARENTS; AND

(II)  ADOPTION BY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UNFIT FOR"
THE RESPONSIBILITY;

(2)  NATURAL PARENTS FROM A HURRIED OR ILL-CONSIDERED
DECISION TO GIVE UP A CHILD; AND

(3)  ADOPTIVE PARENTS:

(I)  BY PROVIDING THEM INFORMATION ABOUT THE
CHILD AND THE CHILD'S BACKGROUND; AND

(II)  FROM A FUTURE DISTURBANCE OF THEIR
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHILD BY A NATURAL PARENT.

REVISOR'S NOTE: This section is new language derived
without substantive change from the first sentence of
former Article 16, § 67(a).

In subsection (b)(1) of this section, the term
"adoptive", which formerly modified "child", is
deleted as an incorrect usage.

In subsection (b)(3) of this section, "adoptive" is
substituted for "adopting", as "adoptive" is the
appropriate modifier of "parents" in the context of
persons protected by this subtitle.

In subsection (b)(3)(ii) of this section, "future" is
substituted for "subsequent", for clarity.

The General Assembly may wish to consider substituting
"biological parents" for "natural parents" in this