2022 Georgia Code
Title 19 - Domestic Relations
Chapter 9 - Child Custody Proceedings
Article 4 - Power of Attorney for the Care of a Child
§ 19-9-124. Parental Limitation on Delegation of Power of Attorney; Rights, Duties, and Responsibilities of Agents; Acknowledgment of Acceptance of Responsibilities; Approval of Agents; Organizational and Entity Record Keeping

1. 1. A parent of a child may delegate to an agent in a power of attorney any power and authority regarding the care and custody of such child, except the power to consent to the marriage or adoption of such child, the performance or inducement of an abortion on or for such child, or the termination of parental rights to such child.  Such power and authority may be delegated without the approval of a court, provided that such delegation of power and authority shall not operate to change or modify any parental or legal rights, obligations, or authority established by an existing court order, including a standing order, or deprive a parent of a child of any parental or legal rights, obligations, or authority regarding the custody, parenting time, visitation, or support of such child.  Such delegation of power and authority shall not deprive or limit any support for a child that should be received by such child pursuant to a court order or for any other reason.  When support is being collected for the child by the Child Support Enforcement Agency of the department, such agency shall be authorized to redirect support payments to the agent for the duration of the power of attorney or until the power of attorney is revoked or superseded by a court order.
   2. A power of attorney executed under this article during the pendency of a divorce or custody action shall be void ab initio unless executed or agreed upon by both parties to such action, if both parties have custodial rights to the child or the court presiding over such divorce or custody action enters an order allowing the execution of the power of attorney as being in the best interests of such child.
2. Except as limited by federal law, this article, or the direction of a parent of a child as expressed in the power of attorney, an agent shall have the same rights, duties, and responsibilities that would otherwise be exercised by such parent of a child pursuant to the laws of this state.
3. An agent shall acknowledge in writing his or her acceptance of the responsibility for caring for a child for the duration of the power of attorney and, if applicable, shall identify his or her association with a child-placing agency or nonprofit entity or faith based organization.
4. An agent shall certify that he or she is not currently on the state sexual offender registry of this state or the sexual offender registry or child abuse registry for any other state, a United States territory, the District of Columbia, or any American Indian tribe nor has he or she ever been required to register for any such registry.
5. The individual executing a power of attorney shall require a prospective agent to provide him or her with a criminal background check if such agent is a nonrelative.  At the time of executing such power of attorney, the individual executing it shall acknowledge having read and reviewed the prospective agent’s criminal background check or shall waive such requirement if the prospective agent is the grandparent, great-grandparent, stepparent, former stepparent, step-grandparent, aunt, uncle, great aunt, great uncle, cousin, or sibling of such child.
6. The agent under a power of attorney shall act in the best interests of the child.  Such agent shall not be liable to the individual executing the power of attorney for consenting or refusing to consent to medical, dental, or mental health care for a child when such decision is made in good faith and is exercised in the best interests of the child.
7. Each child-placing agency and nonprofit entity or faith based organization that assists with the execution of a power of attorney under this article shall maintain a record of all powers of attorney executed by agents approved by such agency, entity, or organization for at least five years after the expiration of such powers of attorney.

History. Code 1981, § 19-9-124 , enacted by Ga. L. 2018, p. 19, § 2-2/HB 159; Ga. L. 2020, p. 181, § 3/HB 993.

The 2020 amendment, effective July 1, 2020, deleted “or child abuse registry” preceding “of this state” near the middle of subsection (d).