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Alaska2026Passed Legislature

HB157

HB 157: Legal Ties Between Adopted Siblings

Last scannedSep 22, 2026, 12:32 AM

In one sentence

This bill changes Alaska law to ensure that adoption does not end the legal relationship between a child and their siblings, while requiring courts to consider post-adoption contact for minors adopted from foster care.

What it does

  • States that an adoption decree ends most legal relationships with relatives but specifically keeps the legal relationship between the adopted person and their siblings intact.
  • Requires courts to decide if visitation with siblings is in the best interest of a minor being adopted who was previously in state custody, and to write this finding on the final court order.
  • Encourages adoptive parents, birth parents, foster parents, kinship caregivers, and the department to plan for post-adoption contact between siblings similar to what existed before adoption.
  • Defines 'sibling' to include people related by blood, adoption, or marriage, as well as those raised together in the same household like brothers or sisters.

Who it affects

  • Minors adopted from foster care who have siblings.
  • Courts handling adoption cases involving minors previously committed to state custody.
  • Adoptive parents, birth parents, foster parents, and kinship caregivers involved in these adoptions.

Limits and unknowns

  • The requirement to determine and document visitation findings applies only if the minor was committed to the custody of the Department of Family and Community Services.
  • Courts are encouraged but not strictly required by this bill to include specific provisions for ongoing contact in every adoption decree.

Plain language

Terms to know

Decree of Adoption
A final court order that legally makes a child part of an adoptive family.
Sibling
Under this bill, someone related by blood, adoption, or marriage as a child of one or both parents; OR someone raised in the same home for a period of time like brothers or sisters.

Official record

Sources

Source checked
Official bill pageIntroduced textCurrent bill text
Read the official summary

EFFECT OF ADOPTION DECREE ON SIBLINGS An Act relating to the effect of a decree of adoption or termination of parental rights on the legal relationship between a person and the person's siblings; and providing for an effective date.

Official activity

Bill history

  1. (H) Heard & HeldText
  2. (H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120Text
  3. (H) Heard & HeldText
  4. (H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120Text
  5. (H) -- Public Testimony -- -- MEETING CANCELED --Text
  6. (H) JUDICIARY at 01:00 PM GRUENBERG 120Text
  7. (H) REFERRED TO JUDICIARY2048
  8. (H) FN3: ZERO(AJS)2048
  9. (H) FN2: INDETERMINATE(DFC)2048
  10. (H) FN1: INDETERMINATE(DFC)2048
  11. (H) AM: SCHWANKE, MINA2048
  12. (H) NR: PRAX, FIELDS2048
  13. (H) DP: GRAY, MEARS2048
  14. (H) HSS RPT 2DP 2NR 2AM2048
  15. (H) Moved HB 157 Out of Committee -- Delayed to 3:40 PM --Text
  16. (H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106Text
  17. (H) Heard & HeldText
  18. (H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106Text
  19. (H) Heard & HeldText
  20. (H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106Text