1. If a child who is in the custody of an agency which provides child welfare services is placed for adoption, the agency must provide the court which is conducting the adoption proceedings with a copy of any order for visitation with a sibling of the child that was issued pursuant to NRS 432B.580 and the court must conduct a hearing to determine whether to include an order for visitation with a sibling in the decree of adoption.

2. The court shall incorporate an order for visitation provided to the court pursuant to subsection 1 into the decree of adoption unless, not later than 30 days after notice of the filing of the petition for adoption is provided to the legal custodian or guardian of the child pursuant to NRS 127.123, any interested party in the adoption, including, without limitation, the adoptive parent, the adoptive child, a sibling of the adoptive child, the agency which provides child welfare services or a licensed child-placing agency petitions the court to exclude the order of visitation with a sibling from the decree of adoption or amend the order for visitation before including the order in the decree of adoption.

3. The hearing on a petition submitted pursuant to subsection 2 must be held on a different date than the hearing on the petition for adoption. Any interested party is entitled to participate in the hearing. The clerk of the court shall give written notice of the time and place of the hearing to the adoptive parent, the adoptive child, a sibling of the adoptive child, the attorney for the adoptive child or a sibling of the adoptive child, the agency which provides child welfare services and a licensed child-placing agency. Upon the petition of a sibling requesting the inclusion of an order for visitation in the decree of adoption, the court may require the agency which provides child welfare services or the child-placing agency to provide the clerk of the court with the contact information of the adoptive parent, the adoptive child and the attorney for the adoptive child. If so ordered, the agency which provides child welfare services or the child-placing agency must provide such contact information under seal.

4. The sole consideration of the court in making a determination concerning visitation with a sibling pursuant to this section is the best interest of the child. If a petition is submitted pursuant to subsection 2, the court must not enter a decree of adoption until the court has made a determination concerning visitation with a sibling.

5. If an order for visitation with a sibling is included in a decree of adoption, the court shall, upon the request of a party to the order, provide to the party the case number of the adoption proceeding and any documents or records necessary to enforce the order.

6. A party to an order for visitation may petition for enforcement of the order at any time while the order is in effect. A person who fails to comply with the order is in contempt of court. If a party to an order for visitation withholds the contact information of any person in violation of the order, the court may order the agency which provides child welfare services or a licensed child-placing agency to provide such contact information to the court under seal.

(Added to NRS by 2009, 413; A 2017, 1989)