New Georgia adoption bill takes center stage

(WTVM) – A new bill is up for debate in the Georgia State Senate to revamp the state's adoption code.

The house unanimously passed a sweeping revamp of the state's adoption code.

The lengthy bill makes numerous technical changes to the state's decades-old adoption code.

State Senator Greg Kirk said senators plan to mull over the bill over the weekend.

A big concern with this version is raising the cost of adoptions. If they disagree with the house's version, the bill will go to a committee.

"We need to be methodical about it and make sure we're protecting birth mothers, we're protecting adopted parents and we're protecting children," said one Senator Greg Kirk.

A similar measure stalled last year amid tense debate after Republican senators changed the bill to allow adoption agencies to refuse placement based on religious beliefs.

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