Mar. 22, 2016
WHAT: The House Children and Youth Committee, led by Rep. Kathy Watson (R-Bucks/144th), will hold the second in a series of public hearings on reforming the adoption process in Pennsylvania. The legislation to be examined at this hearing includes
House Bill 1525, which would require the courts to set a hearing date no more than 20 days after the birth parent(s) file with the court a petition voluntarily relinquishing their parental rights;
House Bill1 1527, which would repeal the requirement of an intermediary report from the adoption process; and
House Bill 1531,which would eliminate the requirement of holding a hearing to confirm a consent to an adoption when the birth parent or parents of the child being placed for adoption have executed valid consents to an adoption.
WHO: Watson and members of the committee. Those expected to offer testimony at the hearing include bill authors, Reps. Scott Petri (R-Bucks), Tedd Nesbit (R-Mercer/Butler) and Dan Miller (D-Allegheny); along with the following testifiers, Samuel C. Totaro Jr., attorney with Curtin and Heefner LLP; Frank Cervone, executive director, Support Center for Child Advocates; Cathy Utz, deputy secretary, Office of Children, Youth and Families, PA Department of Human Services; and Marjorie McKeone, assistant director, Bucks County Children and Youth Social Services Agency.
WHEN: Wednesday, March 23, 9-11 a.m.
WHERE: Room 60, East Wing, Capitol Complex, Harrisburg.
LIVE WEBSTREAMING: The hearing will be streamed live at
KathyWatson144.com.
Media contact: Jennifer Keaton, 717.705.2094,
jkeaton@pahousegop.com