HBA-BSM H.B. 1634 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1634 By: King, Phil Juvenile Justice & Family Issues 7/25/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Adoption can be a traumatic experience for birth parents. Prior to the 77th Legislature, state law was ambiguous as to whether or not counseling is an expense that adoptive parents can pay for in assisting birth parents. House Bill 1634 clarifies that counseling is an expense adoptive parents can pay for birth parents. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1634 amends the Penal Code to exempt a reimbursement paid to a child-placing agency and a fee paid to a social worker or mental health professional in providing adoption counseling from provisions prohibiting the offer, exchange, or acceptance of a thing of value within the process of an adoption. The bill also exempts a necessary pregnancy-related expense paid by a child-placing agency for the benefit of the child's parent during the pregnancy or after the birth of the child as permitted by the minimum standards for child-placing agencies and Department of Protective and Regulatory Services rules. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.