Adoption Reform Legislation Introduced to House Health Committee
Legislation Slashes Costs, Bureaucracy and Heartache in Ohio Adoption Process
COLUMBUS, Ohio–Yesterday evening, Representative Jim Buchy offered sponsor testimony for HB 307 which eliminates unnecessary costs, protects birth parents and adoptive couples, prevents fraud and minimizes the bureaucracy in the Ohio adoption process. The goal of Ohio Right to Life’s adoption reform legislation is to eliminate the countless and unnecessary roadblocks with adoption. This bill is co-sponsored by Representative Dorothy Pelanda.
“Placing the best interests of the birth parents and adoptive couples ahead of the bureaucracy, lawyers, and special interests will allow more Ohioans to adopt infants in a safe and effective manner” said Kayla Smith, Director of Legislative Affairs at Ohio Right to Life. “The outdated and expensive business model of adoption has harmed too many families and we thank Representative Buchy for his leadership to address this critical issue.”
Many Ohio families believe infant domestic adoptions to be too expensive due to an accumulation of fees throughout the adoption process. The proposed legislation will reduce unnecessary expenses and eliminate fraud. Additionally, the current adoption $1,500 tax credit will increase to $10,000 to provide the gift of adoption to those middle income families who otherwise could not afford the process.
“By slashing the cost of adoption and increasing the financial incentives to adopt, adoption will no longer be limited to the wealthy or to those who possess an equity line,” said Mike Gonidakis, President of Ohio Right to Life. “These provisions not only make adoption more accessible, but expand the opportunities to save children’s lives.”
The new law will provide a birth father with pre-birth notice if the mother chooses an adoption plan during pregnancy. This notice allows the father to declare or deny parental rights before the birth of his child, thus expediting the finalization of the adoption, while ensuring a smoother transition for the child, the birth parents and the adopting family.
Furthermore, the bill would allow for the adoption decree to be challenged for up to 60 days, rather than the current provision of 12 months, relieving the adoptive family from an unnecessary emotional burden, while still safeguarding the birth parents’ rights.
To see a visual representation of the adoption reform, created by Ohio Right to Life, clickhere.
Founded in 1967, Ohio Right to Life, with more than 45 local chapters, is Ohio’s oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement in Ohio, ORTL works through legislation and education to promote and defend innocent human life from conception to natural death.