ASSEMBLY STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION No. 47

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: DECEMBER 4, 2025

      The Assembly State and Local Government Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Joint Resolution No. 47.

      As amended by the committee, this joint resolution designates the Saturday before Thanksgiving Day as “National Adoption Day” and designates the month of November as “National Adoption Month” in New Jersey to raise public awareness of adoption services and the foster care system, to educate prospective parents about the options available to them when considering adoption, and to celebrate finalized adoptions for families.

      Many children in the foster care system do not receive the appropriate emotional and financial support necessary to succeed in life that other children receive from their families.  Children in foster care may experience more physical, emotional, and psychological trauma in their lifetimes than their peers, adding to the difficulties endured while waiting for a permanent home.  While adoption statistics are trending in the right direction, there is still a vast need to encourage more parents to consider adoption, and that begins with a willingness to expedite the adoption process and celebrate its success.

      Starting with former Los Angeles Presiding Judge Michael Nash in the 1990s, celebrations have been held during the month of November aimed at finalizing adoptions and recognizing the newly united families.  Many county vicinages in New Jersey host National Adoption Day services during the week prior to Thanksgiving Day, in part to unite families before the holiday season, but generally to bring awareness to the thousands of children that continue to wait for a resolution, especially for children who spend years in the system and teenagers who are close to aging out and becoming independent.  Therefore, it is altogether fitting and proper to designate the Saturday before Thanksgiving Day as “National Adoption Day” and designate the month of November as “National Adoption Month” in New Jersey.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended this joint resolution to remove language referencing 6,000 children passing through the foster care system annually in New Jersey.  The committee amendments add language specifying the number of children in the Division of Child Protection and Permanency resource family, kinship, and non-kinship care and the number of children who have been adopted and have exited and been discharged from the State’s foster care system as of December of 2024.