UPDATE – 7 p.m. Thursday: The package has passed the Senate.
LANSING (WKZO-AM) — The Senate has moved legislation out of committee aimed at curbing the “rehoming” of Michigan children.
Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, said bad parents are turning online to dump their children, occasionally for profit, and are using current state law to shield themselves.
“Essentially, rehoming is the giving away of one’s child for the purpose of monetary gain,” Jones said in a press release.
“They advertise that they have some kids they don’t want, people approach them and usually there’s money exchanged under the table, and they just assign them legally to those people,” Jones said during Michigan’s Big Show with Michael Patrick Shiels on Thursday.
Jones said the transactions sometimes put children into dangerous situations.
“Any pedophile, drug user or child abuser could get kids that way,” Jones said.
His legislation, under most circumstances, would disallow parents from legally assigning their children to others for more than three months. It would also apply penalties to those who advertise, solicit or recuit children for adoption.
The package is now being considered by the full Senate. Similar bills are in the House.
