Tribal customary adoption.

Existing law provides for tribal customary adoption as one placement option for Indian children. Existing law requires that, in all cases prior to final approval of the tribal customary adoptive placement, a state and federal criminal background check through the Department of Justice shall be conducted on the prospective tribal customary adoptive parents and on persons over 18 years of age residing in their household. Existing law provides that if the tribe chooses a designee to conduct the home study, the designee shall perform that background check. Existing law requires a tribal designee to be an entity that is authorized to request that information from the Department of Justice. If the tribe chooses to conduct its own home study, the agency that has the placement and care responsibility of the child shall perform the state and federal criminal background check. This bill would make technical and clarifying changes to those provisions.