New adoption law hopefully beneficial
<p class="p1">A new Louisiana adoption law will hopefully bring a better process to help prospective parents avoid the pitfalls of the old system.
<p class="p3">The new law limits adoption costs to $7,500, details of the type of paperwork necessary, and makes lying about the pre-natal expenses punishable by up to $50,000 fine and 10 years in prison.
<p class="p3">Pro-life advocates pushed the new law as part of a package to make adoption an easier alternative to abortion.
<p class="p3">“Existing law was ambiguous,” said Republican state Rep. Rick Edmonds, a Baton Rouge pastor and former executive with Louisiana Family Forum, a conservation faith-based group that lobbies on social issues.
<p class="p3">“I call it the ‘Protection of Adoption’ Act. It provides a framework so that adoption is not so confusing,” Edmonds told the Advocate.
<p class="p3">The new law changes the word “reasonable” to “actual” when listing the types of expenses an expectant mother can expect the prospective parents to pay.
<p class="p3">Besides the medical costs and legal fees the expectant mother can expect the adoptive parents to pay, the new law adds such items as temporary housing, maternity clothes and personal hygiene products.
<p class="p3">The new law also excludes living expenses such as vehicles and leisure activities.
<p class="p3">“Now you have a list of specific expenses, specific costs. The Children’s Code absorbs it all and the lawyers and the agencies and others who work on adoptions — and the prospective parents — know precisely what is required and how much it should cost,” Edmonds said.
<p class="p3">Proponents had a gathering in Memorial Hall to celebrate a second adoption bill in the package advocated by pro-life groups, including Louisiana Family Forum, the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Louisiana Right to Life.
<p class="p3">The “Adoption Option Act” aims at publishing a website that would provide expectant mothers and parents who want to adopt with an exhaustive list of the government agencies and private organization.
<p class="p3">Promoting adoption and making adoption a more attractive option is commendable and in keeping with Louisiana values on life.
{{tncms-inline content="&lt;p&gt;This editorial was written by a member of the &lt;em&gt;American Press&lt;/em&gt; Editorial Board. Its content reflects the collaborative opinion of the Board, whose members include &lt;strong&gt;Crystal Stevenson, John Guidroz&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Mike Jones &lt;/strong&gt;and&lt;strong&gt; Jim Beam&lt;/strong&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;" id="c3ced948-7490-4834-b2de-28a7106496cc" style-type="info" title="EDITORIAL BOARD" type="relcontent"}}
This editorial was written by a member of the <em>American Press</em> Editorial Board. Its content reflects the collaborative opinion of the Board, whose members include <strong>Crystal Stevenson, John Guidroz</strong>, <strong>Mike Jones </strong>and<strong> Jim Beam</strong>.