SB 1009 Summary

• Commissioner of Children and Families shall adopt regulations on adoptive placement of children identified by prospective adoptive parents or child-placing agencies, requiring counseling of the pregnant person not later than 72 hours after birth or as soon as medically possible.

• Prospective adoptive parents may participate in labor, birth, and visitation with the newborn if the pregnant person, child-placing agency, and physician agree and it complies with hospital procedures.

• Hospitals must arrange safe custody transfer of identified newborns to child-placing agencies in a private room, with prospective adoptive parents permitted to receive nonidentifying medical information and participate in infant care instruction programs.

• Prospective adoptive parents may reimburse the pregnant person for reasonable expenses (living, medical, legal) relating to pregnancy or adoption, with payments allowed 180 days before to 60 days after birth and subject to probate court approval; reimbursement is limited to $2,000 without court filing if the child-placing agency determines demonstrated need.

• Genetic parents and prospective adoptive parents may advertise for identified adoption placement through public media, and the Adoption Review Board composition is updated to use gender-neutral language for appointed positions.