Thursday, November 8, 2007

Great News Coming Out of Guatemala

Prensa Libre, the main newspaper in Guatemala City, is reporting that yesterday a congressional committee voted to postpone the implementation of the Ortega law from January 1st to April 1st. If confirmed, that means adoptions will continue under the current system, without fear of a shutdown or additional requirements, through March 31st!

JCICS just posted that "members of the Guatemalan Congress, including numerous party chiefs, have submitted a new legislative proposal for implementing the Hague Convention." If this proposal is passed into law, it would replace the Ortega Law!

The new law is scheduled to be introduced to Congress early next week. According to JCICS it:

  • Includes a strong ‘grandfather’ clause
  • Designates April 30, 2008 as the effective implementation date of the Convention
  • Allocates $5 million Quetzales ($650,000 USD) for the creation of the Central Authority
  • Allocates a percentage of the total government budget for child welfare services
  • Creates a new government entity to act as the Central Authority in Guatemala
  • Provides for private non-profit accredited entities to provide services to children
  • Allows single potential adoptive parents to apply for adoption
  • Creates a functional process by which children can find a permanent, safe and loving family

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