By Teesta Bhola-Shah
This August, several important legislative updates have made headlines, and they’re worth paying attention to if adoption has touched your life in any way. The rules that governments pass can directly affect your life if you are an adoptee, looking to adopt, or have some connection to the adoption world.
In New York, lawmakers moved forward on Senate Bill S465, a bill that could really change the way families are legally recognized. Right now, many families built through assisted reproductive technology (ART), things like IVF, or through caregiving that doesn’t fit the “traditional” mold don’t have clear laws defining them. S465 tries to fix that by creating confirmatory adoptions—a faster, clearer way for parents using ART to be legally recognized without unnecessary hoops. It also opens the door for courts to recognize more than two parents if it’s in a child’s best interest. That means a child could legally have three or even four parents, sharing custody and support. For LGBTQ families, blended families, or any other types of families who don’t fit the traditional mold, this is a huge step toward making the law reflect real life (New York State Senate, 2025).
On the federal level, two new proposals are trying to make adoption safer and more supportive. The Adoption Promotion and Support Services Act would dedicate $20 million to counseling, education, and mental health services for adoptive families. Many families have been pushing for this, as they say it is desperately needed. However, this act hasn’t passed yet and will probably be delayed as it is not on the forefront of lawmakers’ minds. At the same time, the Safe Home Act of 2025 (S. 604) is designed to stop unsafe disruptions, sometimes called “rehoming,” where kids are transferred outside the adoption or foster care system without protections. The bill calls for more resources and guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services so families have better support before things ever reach that point (KingSpry Law, 2025).
Money is another piece of the puzzle, and this year brings good news for adoptive families. The Adoption Tax Credit has gone up to $17,280 per child for 2025, and for the first time, up to $5,000 is refundable. This is a credit that you can claim on your tax returns every year, provided that your income is below a certain point. That means families with lower tax liability could still benefit, which is especially important for those adopting children with special needs or for families with tighter budgets. It may not erase the financial challenges of adoption, but it can help make the process more accessible for a wider range of people. (Lifetime Adoption, 2025; Surratt Law, 2025).
Some changes this month were symbolic but just as powerful. In Oregon, the legislature passed House Bill 2019, which designates August 25 (tomorrow!) as “Adoption Day.” For adoptees, birth families, and adoptive families, this recognition is more than just a line in the law—it’s a reminder that adoption stories deserve visibility. Representative Lucetta Elmer, an adoptee herself, spoke about how much it means to simply be told, “you are seen, you are loved, and you matter” (Oregon Right to Life, 2025).
And finally, there’s the ongoing push for adoptee rights. This year, Georgia became the 16th state to give adult adoptees access to their original birth certificates. States like New York, Minnesota, and Oregon already recognize this right, and with Georgia joining in, the momentum is growing. This is important because many adoptees seek access to their birth records to feel more in connection with their identity, and get more clarity on their roots. (Wikipedia, “Adoption,” 2025).
All of these changes make August 2025 a great month for adoption rights. For adoptees, adoptive parents and birth parents alike, the legislative advances we’ve made this month are really helping to make people feel seen. The laws are slowly starting to reflect the complexity of what family looks like today and the lifelong journey that adoption really is. For those of us with personal connections to adoption, it’s encouraging to see these shifts happening in real time. It means more support, more recognition, and hopefully, more space for adoptees and families to thrive.
