The Wisconsin state Assembly unanimously passed a bill Tuesday that would prohibit advertising children for adoption over the Internet and mandate court approval for delegation of parental powers.
State Rep. Joel Kleefisch, R-Oconomowoc, introduced the bill after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published a story in 2010 that brought the issue onto a national stage, according to a spokesperson from Kleefisch’s office.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning story, written by Raquel Rutledge, illuminated the state’s failing child-care system, which is called Wisconsin Shared.
Current law prohibits advertising adoption through other mediums, including newspapers, radio and television, but not through the Internet.
“We need to protect kids who are literally being traded between homes via online chat rooms,” Kleefisch said. “Children are being placed in unsafe situations with dangerous and sometimes life-threatening outcomes.”
The bill also mandates court approval when a parent or guardian delegates his or her responsibilities to another party.
The extent to which people are using the Internet to advertise children for adoption is unknown, because currently advertising is not being monitored.
