Mar. 10, 2016
HARRISBURG – Thousands of children are currently awaiting adoption in Pennsylvania, yet state laws are making adoption so difficult that frustrated adoptive parents are going out of state or out of the country to adopt children. Today, the House Children and Youth Committee held a public hearing on legislation by Rep. Scott Petri (R-Bucks) that would make it easier for those seeking to adopt a child to do so in Pennsylvania.
House Bill 1526 is a key bill in a package of nine bills that would update Pennsylvania’s adoption laws. Petri’s legislation would reduce the amount of time birth parents have to revoke consent for an adoption from 30 days to five days after a birth mother formally gives her consent. It would also eliminate the timetable for a birth parent or putative father who has consented to an adoption to challenge the validity of that consent.
“Pennsylvania is viewed as archaic in terms of its adoption laws,” said Petri. “Adoptive parents are told in advance that the waiting period during which a birth parent can revoke consent is too long. This causes many to go out of state where adoption laws are more favorable. My bill would shorten the timeframe for consent, both improving Pennsylvania’s reputation as an adoption-friendly state and increasing the likelihood that Pennsylvania children will be adopted.
“Current laws are discouraging those who would provide children with a loving home. Our laws are also leaving many birth mothers with no choice other than to put their children in foster care,” said Petri. “My goal is to make adoption an easier process – getting children in homes where they are wanted and will be loved.”
Related bills before the committee today would permit adoptive parents to provide reasonable expenses to birth mothers, and would provide for counseling services for birth mothers.
To hear Petri’s comments following today’s hearing, visit
RepPetri.com.
Representative Scott Petri
178th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Donna Pinkham
717.260.6452
dpinkham@pahousegop.com
RepPetri.com