Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 22, § 4038-E (2026)

A permanency guardian may petition the District Court to adopt the child in the permanency guardian's care and to change the child's name upon the issuance of the adoption decree. The petition must be filed and adjudicated in accordance with Title 18‑C, Article 9, except that the adoption may not be granted unless each living parent identified in the child protection action whose rights have not been terminated has executed a consent to the adoption pursuant to Title 18‑C, section 9‑202 or the court finds that such consent is not required pursuant to Title 18‑C, section 9‑302, subsection 2. A permanency guardian may not seek an order terminating the parental rights of a parent as part of a petition to adopt the child.   [PL 2019, c. 664, Pt. C, §2 (NEW).]