Bill Analyses and Ratings

Rating: 0

Bill Summary:

Senate Bill 1104 amends Section 18-1511 of the Idaho Code to expand what is considered allowable financial support in adoption proceedings. Specifically, it mandates that if medical costs are covered for a birth parent during the adoption process, those costs must include up to three pre-placement and six post-placement counseling sessions. The bill also requires that birth parents be notified of their entitlement to legal advice from an attorney of their choosing and to counseling services provided by a licensed counselor. Additionally, any financial assistance exceeding $2,000 must be submitted to the court in a verified financial plan, and all payments must be made to third-party vendors. These payments are classified as charitable gifts, not subject to recovery under Idaho Code §16-1515.

Reason for Rating:
While the bill promotes transparency and safeguards for birth parents in adoption, it imposes prescriptive conditions on private charitable support—mandating specific services as a condition of voluntary aid. These requirements could discourage prospective adoptive parents from providing financial support altogether, creating a regulatory burden on what has historically been a private, good-faith agreement. The intent aligns with a pro-adoption framework, but the mandated structure of financial assistance introduces government micromanagement that departs from platform principles of limited government, individual liberty, and free enterprise. Thus, the bill is best viewed as neutral when weighed against the Idaho Republican Party Platform.