Some Implications of HB2904, if passed
This bill would make it more difficult for birth parents to choose to to place their babies for adoption and make it easier for adoptions to be overturned. Many of the “protections” in this bill are already available to birthmothers according to the current adoption laws, per the birthmother’s choice.
This bill would actually take away her ability to make these choices by requiring certain behaviors from the birth parent and not allowing them to waive proposed mandatory waiting periods.
Birth parents would be forced to parent for 8 days or the baby would need to be placed in foster care for that period of time, this could not be waived. Placement of a child with the adoptive family would be delayed.
The creation of the 30 day revocation period (aka the time period in which the birth parent can change their mind after signing relinquishment papers) that cannot be waived by the birth parent, could lead to more disrupted adoptions/placements and could potentially lead to problems with interstate adoption agreements with other states.
This bill will make it a requirement for all the information in an adoptive couple’s home study to be seen by the birth parent prior to relinquishment.
This bill will create an ‘adoption attorney fee fund’ paid for by Oregon tax payers.
