WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor                        Ch. 114

(3) THE LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT SHALL MAINTAIN A COPY OF
THE QUALIFIED OFFER IN THE CHILD'S CASE MANAGEMENT FILE.

6-833.

(A)     FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN IS
UNAVAILABLE IF, FOLLOWING REASONABLE EFFORTS, THE OFFEROR IS UNABLE TO
LOCATE OR COMMUNICATE WITH THE CHILD'S PARENT OR GUARDIAN.

(B)     (1) IF A CHILD'S PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN IS UNAVAILABLE, THE
OFFEROR MAY:

(I) PETITION A COURT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS
OF TITLE 13, SUBTITLE 7 OF THE ESTATES AND TRUSTS ARTICLE TO APPOINT A
PERSON TO RESPOND TO THE OFFER ON BEHALF OF THE CHILD; AND

(II) FILE THE QUALIFIED OFFER WITH THE COURT.

(2)      THE COURT SHALL APPOINT A PERSON TO ACT ON BEHALF OF THE
CHILD WITHIN 15 DAYS FOLLOWING THE DATE OF THE FILING OF THE PETITION.

(3) A PERSON APPOINTED TO ACT ON BEHALF OF THE CHILD SHALL
FILE A RESPONSE WITH THE COURT EITHER REJECTING OR ACCEPTING THE
QUALIFIED OFFER WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER SUCH APPOINTMENT BY THE COURT.

(4)      THE RESPONSE OF THE PERSON APPOINTED TO RESPOND TO THE
OFFER ON BEHALF OF THE CHILD IS SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY THE COURT.

(C) WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER A RESPONSE TO A QUALIFIED OFFER IS FILED
WITH A COURT UNDER SUBSECTION (B)(3) OF THIS SECTION, THE COURT:

(1) MAY HOLD A HEARING; AND

(2) SHALL APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE THE RESPONSE TO THE
QUALIFIED OFFER.

(D) IF A COURT DISAPPROVES THE RESPONSE TO THE QUALIFIED OFFER
FILED BY THE PERSON ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE CHILD, THE COURT MAY ORDER:

(1) THAT AN ADDITIONAL RESPONSE BE FILED ON BEHALF OF THE
CHILD; OR

(2) ANY ACTION THE COURT CONSIDERS NECESSARY AND
APPROPRIATE TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE CHILD.

(E) IF THE COURT APPROVES A RESPONSE ACCEPTING A QUALIFIED OFFER
ON BEHALF OF THE CHILD, THE ORDER OF THE COURT SHALL DESIGNATE ONE OR
MORE PERSONS WHO SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND AUTHORIZED TO MAKE ALL
DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THE CHILD NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THE QUALIFIED
OFFER.

- 1297 -