HB 1488 Summary

• Amends Arkansas trafficking and adoption laws to prohibit offering anything of value to biological parents, their relatives, or spouses to place a baby for adoption, with violations classified as Class A or C felonies depending on circumstances.

• Requires courts to appoint independent counsel for biological parents in private adoptions (not using licensed agencies) and order petitioners to deposit $2,000 into court registry to cover attorney fees, unless biological parent already consented or a familial relationship existed.

• Mandates petitioners file comprehensive adoption plans with courts within 30 days that include background information, expense accounting, contingency repayment plans, and communication strategies between adoptive and biological parents.

• Establishes "private adoption" definition and expands hospital release form requirements to require social worker approval and counseling on adoption permanency and available services when licensed agencies are not used.

• Declares emergency effective upon Governor's approval to address conflicts of interest in private adoptions, protect biological parents from uninformed consent, and ensure state jurisdictional requirements are met.