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Arkansas Lawmakers OK Ban on Informal Transfers of Adoptees

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LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas lawmakers have given final approval to a bill banning the informal transfer of adopted children known as “re-homing,” a measure prompted by a legislator who gave away his adopted daughters to a man who later admitted to sexually assaulting one of them.

By 88-0 and 89-0 votes, the House agreed to changes to legislation criminalizing the practice of giving an adopted child to an unrelated family without state oversight and another proposal that the state create new services for parents after they adopt.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson has said he plans to sign it into law.

The ban was proposed after the Arkansas Times reported that Republican Rep. Justin Harris of West Fork gave his adopted daughters to a man who later admitted to sexually assaulting one of the girls.

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