House Children and Youth Committee to Examine Bills to Reform Adoption Process
WHAT: The House Children and Youth Committee, led by Rep. Kathy Watson (R-Bucks/144th), will hold a public hearing on several bills to reform the adoption process in Pennsylvania. The legislation includes
House Bill 1526, which would shorten the period in which a birth parent can revoke adoption consent from 30 days to five;
House Bill 1524, which would provide access to adoption-related counseling services to birth parents who are considering adoption or relinquishing parental rights; and
House Bill 1529, which would add reasonable expenses incurred by a birth mother to be reimbursed by the adoptive parents.
WHO: Watson and members of the committee. Those expected to offer testimony at the hearing include bill authors, Reps. Scott Petri (R-Bucks) and Tarah Toohil (R-Luzerne); along with the following testifiers, Samuel C. Totaro Jr., attorney with Curtin and Heefner LLP; Andrea Totaro, executive director, ANA Adoptions; Joel Fox, an adoptive parent from Montgomery County; Donald Petrille Jr., register of wills and clerk of the Orphans’ County in Bucks County; Patti Wetherbee, clerk of courts and clerk of the Orphans’ Court in Crawford County; Amanda Transue-Woolston, social worker, author, speaker and founder of Pennsylvania Adoptee Rights.
WHEN: Wednesday, March 9, 1-3 p.m.
WHERE: Room 60, East Wing, Capitol Complex, Harrisburg.
LIVE WEBSTREAMING: The hearing will be streamed live at
KathyWatson144.com.
Media contact: Jennifer Keaton, 717.705.2094,
jkeaton@pahousegop.com