In April of 2016, Governor Hutchinson signed into law a new re-homing law concerning Arkansas adoptions. It was a new statute governing an obscure practice known as re-homing. Re-homing refers to the practice of giving custody of an adoptive child to another family after the adoption is finalized.
The law was passed in the wake of some rather horrific news involving state representative Justin Harris who was revealed to have re-homed his two adopted daughters to a home in which one of the girls was abused.
The law forbids parents from assigning custody of children they adopt to another household, except close relatives, without court approval. The crime would be a felony punishable by a prison sentence and fines, according to the Huffington Post.
The new law concerning Arkansas adoptions is an important step our state has taken to protect our children. Note that re-homing is not a common practice, the vast majority of families honor their commitment to their adoptive children even when times get tough. It may be a blessing that our state now expects no less.
For information about adoptions in Arkansas, contact Justin Heimer.