§ 259.55 — Payment of Birth Parent Expenses; Penalty
Plain-Language Summary
Limits what expenses adoptive parents may pay on behalf of birth parents to counseling, medical, legal, transportation, and reasonable living expenses during pregnancy. Paying for anything else in connection with an adoption placement is a gross misdemeanor.
259.55 PAYMENT OF BIRTH PARENT EXPENSES; PENALTY.
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Subdivision 1.Authorized payments.
In any adoption under this chapter, a prospective adoptive parent or anyone acting in concert with, at the direction of, or on behalf of a prospective adoptive parent may pay only the following expenses of the birth parent:
(1) reasonable counseling, medical, and legal fees, which shall be paid directly to the provider of the service;
(2) reasonable expenses for transportation, meals, and lodging incurred for placement of the child or in order to receive counseling, legal, or medical services related to the pregnancy, birth, or placement;
(3) reasonable expenses for adoption services provided by an agency at the request of the birth parent, which shall be paid directly to the agency; and
(4) reasonable living expenses of the birth mother which are needed to maintain an adequate standard of living which the birth mother is unable to otherwise maintain because of loss of income or other support resulting from the pregnancy.
(i) The payments may cover expenses incurred during the pregnancy-related incapacity but not for a period longer than six weeks following delivery, unless the court determines within the six-week period that the birth mother is unable to be employed due to physical limitations relating to the birth of the child;
(ii) the payment shall not be contingent upon placement of the child for adoption, consent to adoption, or cooperation in the completion of the adoption; and
(iii) reasonable living expenses does not include expenses for lost wages, gifts, educational expenses, or other similar expenses of the birth mother. §
Subd. 2.No birth parent reimbursement to adoptive parent.
A contract purporting to require a birth parent to reimburse a prospective adoptive parent for such payments under any circumstances, including circumstances in which a birth parent refuses to consent to adoption or withdraws consent to adoption, is void as against public policy. §
Subd. 3.Prohibited payments; penalty.
(a) Except as authorized under subdivision 1, it is a gross misdemeanor for an individual to give, or for a birth parent to accept, money or anything of value, or compensation for the placement of a child for adoption.
(b) It is a gross misdemeanor for any person to give money or anything of value to the birth parent of a child if the person is engaged or has engaged in any placement activity, as defined in section 259.21, subdivision 9, in connection with the adoption of the child.
(c) An offense under this subdivision shall be prosecuted by the county attorney.
History:
1994 c 631 s 27,31; 1997 c 177 s 16
**NOTE: **A transfer of a power or responsibility in this chapter to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families is effective upon notice of the commissioner of children, youth, and families to the commissioners of administration, management and budget, and other relevant departments along with the secretary of the senate, the chief clerk of the house of representatives, and the chairs and ranking minority members of the relevant legislative committees and divisions. Laws 2024, chapter 80, article 8, section 72, Laws 2023, chapter 70, article 12, section 30.
History: History: 1994 c 631 s 27,31; 1997 c 177 s 16