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Vance Proposes Legislation to Streamline Foreign Adoption Procedures
HARRISBURG -- All
parents who adopt children from another country would follow a simplified
procedure to register the adoption in Pennsylvania under legislation introduced
by Sen. Patricia Vance (R-Cumberland/York).
“Foreign adoption procedures
vary from county to county in Pennsylvania resulting in some parents
encountering burdensome costs and paperwork,” Vance said. “This should not be
the case as these parents have just completed a rigorous process in the child’s
birth country and are trying to create family bonds, not navigate bureaucratic
processes. My legislation will implement an efficient and parent-friendly
adoption process.”
Senate Bill 332 would allow a
parent to file a final foreign adoption decree with the clerk of the Orphans’
Court. The clerk would then be required to issue to the adopting parent or
parents a certificate of the adoption stating it has been registered in the
county court. Additionally, the clerk would be required to send a certificate
of the adoption to the Office of Vital Statistics for filing. The bill would
permit counties to still charge a filing fee to cover the costs associated with
issuing the certificates, which must be in accordance with its already approved
fee schedule and not be financially burdensome to families.
Additionally, the legislation will permit
persons seeking to register a foreign adoption to do so without the need to
obtain counsel and without the need for a formal hearing.
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