Under the provisions of House Bills 4646 (H-1), 4647 and 4648, a birth mother would have five days to rescind her choice; allow the court to finalize the adoption process within three months of placement; and ensure that custody of the child would be placed with the adoptive family or the mother, not the putative father, during the adoption proceedings. The bills now head to the full House for consideration.

The committee also discussed a series of bills (House Bills 4659, 4661, and 4662) that would create a Responsible Fathers Registry. The bills would require the Michigan Department of Community Health to develop an online registry, allowing a father to admit paternity of a child who was born outside the confines of marriage. As long as the father registers within 48 hours of the child’s birth, he would be informed of all paternity hearings. The Department expressed support for the legislation; however, they also voiced concerns over potential abuse and fraud with the online registry. Committee Chairman Ken Kurtz (R-Coldwater) stated he will take these concerns under advisement before the committee reconvenes deliberations on the legislation.