Representatives Reggie Stoltzfus and Janine Boyd Introduce Fully Refundable Adoption Tax Credit Legislation

COLUMBUS— State Representatives Reggie Stoltzfus (R-Minerva) and Janine Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights) today introduced House Bill 206, the Fully Refundable Adoption Tax Credit.

This legislation will allow adopting families to apply for a fully refundable adoption tax credit up to $10,000 of the out-of-pocket cost of the adoption. It will also provide a $5,000 minimum fully refundable adoption tax credit to any family who adopts regardless of the cost they incurred through the adoption process. HB 206 will help families welcome children into their families permanently, while easing the financial burden.

“This legislation will ease the financial burden that comes with adoption, helping families that may otherwise be sidelined because of the high cost of bringing a child into their home,” said Rep. Stoltzfus.

“We in the legislature have passed a wide range of tax credits for deserving individuals,” said Rep. Boyd. “There are children anxiously longing for families, families earnestly praying to have children, but sometimes the cost of unifying the two is not available, or not yet available to them. This policy will provide an opportunity for adoptive parents to be able to better care for the children that become their children- children who more often than is appropriate- have experienced trauma and have lost most forms of stability and connection in their young lives.”

House Bill 206 has been referred to the committee on Ways and Means and now awaits its first hearing.