Senate committee debates enforceability of post‑adoption contact agreements

Senator Julie Van Orden, R‑District 30, introduced Senate Bill 113 on behalf of its sponsors, describing it as a voluntary law allowing parties to record a post‑adoption contact agreement that would be filed with the adoption case. "This is a post adoption contract agreement means a document agreed to prior to the finalization of an adopt[ion] of a child that outlines the relationship between an adopted parent, a birth parent, and an adopted child after the finalization of the adoption," Van Orden told the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee.

Supporters and opponents agreed on the basic concept — written agreements to record the parties' expectations about photos, letters or updates — but sharply disagreed about whether filing those agreements with the court would change that relationship and create new legal risks.

Why it matters: the bill responds to repeated accounts from birth parents who say adoptive parents stopped sending promised updates after placement. Proponents said putting commitments in writing and on the court record would make adoptive parents think carefully before promising contact and reassure birth parents. Opponents — including licensed adoption social workers, adoption attorneys and some adoption agencies — said the bill…