Bill to Modernize Adoption Process Unanimously Passes Ohio House

COLUMBUS– State Rep. Rachel Baker (D-Cincinnati) today announced the Ohio House’s unanimous passage of House Bill (HB) 5, bipartisan priority legislation that modernizes Ohio’s adoption process and prioritizes the best interest of the child.

“House Bill 5 promotes equity and fairness in the adoption process and provides families with access to the necessary resources and support,” said Rep. Baker. “As an adoptive mother, I know that the changes outlined in this bill will improve the experience of adoption for children, birth parents, and adoptive parents.”

HB 5 would:

• Expedite the adoption process by requiring courts to apply time spent in the home towards the current six-month waiting period for kinship caregivers;
• Expand the available financial support for birth mothers from $3,000 to $6,000;
• Allow foreign adoption decrees to be automatically accepted and finalized as long as certain conditions are met;
• Make other various changes that refine Ohio’s current adoption law to eliminate resource barriers for families.

 The bill now heads to the Ohio Senate to begin the committee process.