Social Concerns Network
Action Alert
Adoption Bill to be Heard in Committees
February 6 and 8, 2001
RE: HB 141 (Representative
Evelyn Lynn) Adoption
SB
138 (Senator Skip Campbell) Adoption
FROM: Patricia M. Chivers, Associate for Social Concerns
DATE: February 1, 2001
Issue: Please call or email your Senator and Representative TODAY if they are members of the three committees scheduled to hear the Adoption bill next week. E-mail addresses for legislators are available through the Florida Catholic Conference web site www.flacathconf.org Click on "Government Links" and then click on "Link to Florida Senate Internet E-Mail Address Access" or "Link to Florida House of Representative Internet E-Mail Address Access."
Message: Please vote YES on HB 141 (Lynn) and SB 138 (Campbell) relating to Adoption.
Background: Passage of HB 141 (Lynn) and SB 138 (Campbell) means positive changes to Florida's Adoption Law.
Adoption is an act of love which should benefit all members of the adoption triad: the child, the adoptive parents and the birth parents. HB 141 and SB 138 ensure detailed attention to fairly and equitably recognizing the adoption triad and provides the maximum certainty and finality that can be achieved in the adoption process.
HB 141 and SB 138 will:
Provide that the consent to adoption may not be signed until 48 hours after the child is born or until the birth mother=s release from the hospital so that the birth mother has an opportunity to recover from the delivery of the baby before signing the consent for adoption.
Provide that a birth parent of a child who is not a newborn may revoke a consent to adoption for any reason within three days of signing it. Twenty-one states provide a statutorily specified time for revocation of a birth parent's consent to adoption. California and New York have revocation periods of 90 days and 45 days respectively.
Require the adoption entity to initiate steps to notify the "father" no later than seven days after the adoption entity has been contracted in writing by the birth mother regarding her desire to place a child for adoption.
Create statute of repose ending all potential challenges one year after a judgement terminating parental rights is entered, except challenges based on fraud which can be challenged for two years. Currently challenges based upon fraud are viable for at least four years.
House Child & Family Security Committee scheduled to hear HB 141 on Tuesday, February 6, 2001
Detert (R) Chair 850-488-1171
Lerner (D) (Vice Chair) 850-488-9550
Garcia (R)
850-487-2197
Jordan (R)
850-488-4388
Lynn (R)(Bill Sponsor) 850-488-9873
Mahon (R)
850-488-4171
Murman (R)
850-488-9910
Justice (D)
850-488-9337
Lee (D)
850-488-7417
Rich (D)
850-487-1588
Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled to hear SB 138 on Tuesday, February 6, 2001
Burt (R) (Chair)
850-487-5033
Dyer (D) (Vice-Chair) 850-487-5190
Campbell (D) (Bill Sponsor) 850-487-5094
Garcia (R)
850-487-5106
Horne (R)
850-487-5027
Jones (D)
850-487-5127
Peaden (R)
850-487-5000
Sebesta (R)
850-487-5075
Silver (D)
850-487-5121
Villalobos (R)
850-487-5130
Webster (R)
850-487-5047
House Judicial Oversight Committee scheduled to hear HB 141 on Thursday, February 8, 2001
Crow (R) (Chair)
850-488-9240
Kottkamp (R) (Vice-Chair) 850-488-7433
Argenziano (R)
850-488-0805
Bense (R)
850-488-9696
Goodlette (R)
850-488-4487
Melvin (R)
850-488-1170
Pickens (R)
850-488-0665
Ross (R)
850-488-9890
Ausley (D)
850-488-0965
Fields (D)
850-488-6893
Ryan (D)
850-488-0245
Seiler (D)
850-488-0880
If you would prefer to receive Social Concerns Network Action Alerts by e-mail, please send me an e-mail message at pchivers@flacathconf.org and ask to be added to the SCN E-mail List.
Thank you for your faithful citizenship!
For more information, please call Patricia M. Chivers, Associate for Social Concerns, (850) 222-3803 or pchivers@flacathconf.org