To amend sections 3107.055, 3107.062, 3107.063, 3107.064, 3107.07, 3107.16, 5103.17, 5747.37, and 5747.98 and to enact sections 3107.067, 3107.068, 3107.069, 3107.0611, 3107.0612, 3107.0613, and 3107.0614 of the Revised Code to require that certain pre-birth adoption notifications be sent to each putative father; to reduce the time within which a putative father must register with the putative father registry; to reduce the period of time to appeal an adoption decree; to permit certain entities to advertise regarding the adoption of children; to define for purposes of an adoption "living expenses" of a birth mother and to specify how they must be paid; and to increase the adoption income tax credit.

SECTION 1. That sections 3107.055, 3107.062, 3107.063, 3107.064, 3107.07, 3107.16, 5103.17, 5747.37, and 5747.98 be amended and sections 3107.067, 3107.068, 3107.069, 3107.0611, 3107.0612, 3107.0613, and 3107.0614 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 3107.055.  (A)(1) Notwithstanding section 3107.01 of the Revised Code, as used in this section, "agency" does not include a public children services agency.

(2) As used in this section, "living expenses" means any of the following expenses incurred by a birth mother:

(a) Rental or mortgage payments;

(b) Utility payments;

(c) Payments for products or services required for the birth mother's or minor's sustenance or safety including, but not limited to, food, household goods, personal care items, and the costs of transportation to work or school.

(B) An agency or attorney, whichever arranges a minor's adoption, shall file with the court a preliminary estimate accounting not later than the time the adoption petition for the minor is filed with the court. The agency or attorney, whichever arranges the adoption, also shall file a final accounting with the court before a final decree of adoption is issued or an interlocutory order of adoption is finalized for the minor. The agency or attorney shall complete and file accountings in a manner acceptable to the court.

An accounting shall specify all disbursements of anything of value the petitioner, a person on the petitioner's behalf, and the agency or attorney made and has agreed to make in connection with the minor's permanent surrender under division (B) of section 5103.15 of the Revised Code, placement under section 5103.16 of the Revised Code, and adoption under this chapter. The agency or attorney shall include in an accounting an itemization of each expense listed in division (C) of this section. The itemization of the expenses specified in divisions (C)(3) and (4) of this section shall show the amount the agency or attorney charged or is going to charge for the services and the actual cost to the agency or attorney of providing the services. An accounting shall indicate whether any expenses listed in division (C) of this section do not apply to the adoption proceeding for which the accounting is filed.

The agency or attorney shall include with a preliminary estimate accounting and a final accounting a written statement signed by the petitioner that the petitioner has reviewed the accounting and attests to its accuracy.

(C) No petitioner, person acting on a petitioner's behalf, or agency or attorney shall make or agree to make any disbursements in connection with the minor's permanent surrender, placement, or adoption other than for the following:

(1) Physician expenses incurred on behalf of the birth mother or minor in connection with prenatal care, delivery, and confinement prior to or following the minor's birth;

(2) Hospital or other medical facility expenses incurred on behalf of the birth mother or minor in connection with the minor's birth;

(3) Expenses charged by the attorney arranging the adoption for providing legal services in connection with the placement and adoption, including expenses incurred by the attorney pursuant to sections 3107.031, 3107.032, 3107.081, 3107.082, 3107.09, 3107.101, and 3107.12 of the Revised Code;

(4) Expenses charged by the agency arranging the adoption for providing services in connection with the permanent surrender and adoption, including the agency's application fee and the expenses incurred by the agency pursuant to sections 3107.031, 3107.032, 3107.09, 3107.101, 3107.12, 5103.151, and 5103.152 of the Revised Code;

(5) Temporary costs of routine maintenance and medical care for a minor required under section 5103.16 of the Revised Code if the person seeking to adopt the minor refuses to accept placement of the minor;

(6) Guardian ad litem fees incurred on behalf of the minor in any court proceedings;

(7) Foster care expenses incurred in connection with any temporary care and maintenance of the minor;

(8) Court expenses incurred in connection with the minor's permanent surrender, placement, and adoption;

(9) Living expenses not exceeding three thousand dollars for the birth mother that are incurred during pregnancy through the sixtieth day after the date the minor is born and paid by the petitioner to the birth mother through the attorney or agency arranging the minor's adoption.

(D) If a court determines from an accounting that an amount that is going to be disbursed for an expense listed in division (C) of this section is unreasonable, the court may order a reduction in the amount to be disbursed. If a court determines from an accounting that an unreasonable amount was disbursed for an expense listed in division (C) of this section, the court may order the person who received the disbursement to refund to the person who made the disbursement an amount the court orders.

If a court determines from an accounting that a disbursement for an expense not permitted by division (C) of this section is going to be made, the court may issue an injunction prohibiting the disbursement. If a court determines from an accounting that a disbursement for an expense not permitted by division (C) of this section was made, the court may order the person who received the disbursement to return it to the person who made the disbursement.

If a court determines that a final accounting does not completely report all the disbursements that are going to be made or have been made in connection with the minor's permanent surrender, placement, and adoption, the court shall order the agency or attorney to file with the court an accounting that completely reports all such disbursements.

The agency or attorney shall file the final accounting with the court not later than ten days prior to the date scheduled for the final hearing on the adoption. The court may not issue a final decree of adoption or finalize an interlocutory order of adoption of a minor until at least ten days after the agency or attorney files the final accounting.

(E) An attorney or agency that makes payments for services or items that qualify as living expenses under division (C)(9) of this section shall make a reasonable and good faith effort to make the payments directly to the entity providing the service or item.

(F) This section does not apply to an adoption by a stepparent whose spouse is a biological or adoptive parent of the minor.

Sec. 3107.062.  The department of job and family services shall establish a putative father registry. To register, a putative father must complete a registration form prescribed under section 3107.065 of the Revised Code and submit it to the department. The registration form shall include the putative father's name; the name of the mother of the person he claims as his child; and the address or telephone number at which he wishes to receive, pursuant to section 3107.11 of the Revised Code, notice of any petition that may be filed to adopt a minor he claims as his child.

A putative father may register at any time. For the purpose of preserving the requirement of his consent to an adoption, a putative father shall register before or not later than thirty fifteen days after the birth of the child. No fee shall be charged for registration.

On receipt of a completed registration form, the department shall indicate on the form the date of receipt and file it in the putative father registry. The department shall maintain registration forms in a manner that enables it to access a registration form using either the name of the putative father or of the mother.

Sec. 3107.063. (A) An attorney arranging a minor's adoption, a mother, a public children services agency, a private noncustodial agency, or a private child placing agency may request at any time that the department of job and family services search the putative father registry to determine whether a man is registered as the minor's putative father. The request shall include the mother's name. On receipt of the request, the department shall search the registry. If the department determines that a man is registered as the minor's putative father, it shall provide the attorney, mother, or agency a certified copy of the man's registration form. If the department determines that no man is registered as the minor's putative father, it shall provide the attorney, mother, or agency a certified written statement to that effect. The department shall specify in the statement the date the search request was submitted. No fee shall be charged for searching the registry.

Division (B) of section 3107.17 of the Revised Code does not apply to this section.

(B) If the department of job and family services provides a certified copy of a putative father's registration form pursuant to division (A) of this section, the department also shall provide a written notice to the putative father:

(1) That he may be the father of the minor he claims as his child on the registration form;

(2) That the minor is being or may be placed for adoption; and

(3) Of his right to consent or refuse to consent to the minor's adoption to the extent provided under Chapter 3107. of the Revised Code.

(C) The department shall provide the notice under this section not later than ten business days after the date it provides the certified copy of the registration form pursuant to division (A) of this section.

Sec. 3107.064.  (A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, a court shall not issue a final decree of adoption or finalize an interlocutory order of adoption unless the mother placing the minor for adoption or the agency or attorney arranging the adoption files with the court a certified document provided by the department of job and family services under section 3107.063 of the Revised Code. The court shall not accept the document unless the date the department places on the document pursuant to that section is thirty-one sixteen or more days after the date of the minor's birth.

(B) The document described in division (A) of this section is not required if any of the following apply:

(1) The mother was married at the time the minor was conceived or born;

(2) The parent placing the minor for adoption previously adopted the minor;

(3) Prior to the date a petition to adopt the minor is filed, a man has been determined to have a parent and child relationship with the minor by a court proceeding pursuant to sections 3111.01 to 3111.18 of the Revised Code, a court proceeding in another state, an administrative agency proceeding pursuant to sections 3111.38 to 3111.54 of the Revised Code, or an administrative agency proceeding in another state;

(4) The minor's father acknowledged paternity of the minor and that acknowledgment has become final pursuant to section 2151.232, 3111.25, or 3111.821 of the Revised Code;

(5) A public children services agency has permanent custody of the minor pursuant to Chapter 2151. or division (B) of section 5103.15 of the Revised Code after both parents lost or surrendered parental rights, privileges, and responsibilities over the minor.

Sec. 3107.067.  (A) Before the birth of a child and with the written consent of the mother of the child, any of the following may serve or caused to be served actual notice to a putative father of the child that the mother of the child is considering placing the child for adoption:

(1) An agency;

(2) An attorney representing the person seeking to adopt the child;

(3) An attorney representing the mother of the child.

(B) As used in this section, "actual notice" means written notice that is actually received by the putative father and includes personal service or certified mail, return receipt requested.

Sec. 3107.068.  The mother of a child is not obligated to place the child for adoption even if notice is served to a putative father of the child under section 3107.067 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 3107.069.  (A) If notice to a putative father is served by a party listed in division (A)(1) or (2) of section 3107.067 of the Revised Code, an agency or an attorney representing the person seeking to adopt a child, when filing a petition for adoption of the child, shall submit to the court an affidavit setting forth the circumstances surrounding the service of actual notice including the time, if known, date, and manner in which the actual notice was provided.

(B) If notice to a putative father is served by a party listed in division (A)(3) of section 3107.067 of the Revised Code, an agency or an attorney representing the person seeking to adopt a child, when filing a petition for adoption of the child, shall submit to the court an affidavit prepared by the attorney representing the mother of the child setting forth the circumstances surrounding the service of actual notice including the time, if known, date, and manner in which the actual notice was provided.

Sec. 3107.0611.  Notice served under section 3107.067 of the Revised Code shall be provided to the putative father of the child in substantially the following form:

"......................... (putative father's name), who has been named as the father of the unborn child of ......................... (birth mother's name), or who claims to be the father of the unborn child, is notified that ......................... (birth mother's name) has expressed an intention to place the child for adoption.

On receipt of this notice, ......................... (putative father's name) may file an action under section 3111.04 of the Revised Code.

Under Ohio law, a putative father means a man, including one under age eighteen, who may be a child's father and to whom all of the following apply:

(1) He is not married to the child's mother at the time of the child's conception or birth.

(2) He has not adopted the child.

(3) He has not been determined, prior to the date a petition to adopt the child is filed, to have a parent and child relationship with the child by a court proceeding pursuant to sections 3111.01 to 3111.18 of the Revised Code, a court proceeding in another state, an administrative agency proceeding pursuant to sections 3111.38 to 3111.54 of the Revised Code, or an administrative agency proceeding in another state.

(4) He has not acknowledged paternity of the child pursuant to sections 3111.20 to 3111.35 of the Revised Code.

For purposes of this notice, ......................... (putative father's name) is a putative father under the laws in Ohio regarding adoption."

Sec. 3107.0612.  A putative father who receives a notice as provided in section 3107.067 of the Revised Code may file an action under section 3111.04 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 3107.0613.  A putative father who has filed an action under section 3111.04 of the Revised Code shall notify the agency or attorney who served or caused to be served the notice that he has filed that action not later than thirty days after filing that action.

Sec. 3107.0614.  (A) A notice served in accordance with section 3107.067 of the Revised Code on a putative father who is a resident of Ohio is valid regardless of whether the notice is served within or outside Ohio.

(B) A notice served in accordance with section 3107.067 of the Revised Code outside Ohio on a putative father who is not a resident of Ohio is valid if the child was conceived:

(1) In Ohio; or

(2) Outside Ohio, if the laws of the state in which the father is served notice or resides or in which the child was conceived allow a putative father to file an action to determine parentage of the child.

Sec. 3107.07.  Consent to adoption is not required of any of the following:

(A) A parent of a minor, when it is alleged in the adoption petition and the court, after proper service of notice and hearing, finds by clear and convincing evidence that the parent has failed without justifiable cause to provide more than de minimis contact with the minor or to provide for the maintenance and support of the minor as required by law or judicial decree for a period of at least one year immediately preceding either the filing of the adoption petition or the placement of the minor in the home of the petitioner.

(B) The putative father of a minor if either of the following applies:

(1) The putative father fails to register as the minor's putative father with the putative father registry established under section 3107.062 of the Revised Code not later than thirty fifteen days after the minor's birth;

(2) The court finds, after proper service of notice and hearing, that any of the following are the case:

(a) The putative father is not the father of the minor;

(b) The putative father has willfully abandoned or failed to care for and support the minor;

(c) The putative father has willfully abandoned the mother of the minor during her pregnancy and up to the time of her surrender of the minor, or the minor's placement in the home of the petitioner, whichever occurs first.

(C) Except as provided in section 3107.071 of the Revised Code, a parent who has entered into a voluntary permanent custody surrender agreement under division (B) of section 5103.15 of the Revised Code;

(D) A parent whose parental rights have been terminated by order of a juvenile court under Chapter 2151. of the Revised Code;

(E) A parent who is married to the petitioner and supports the adoption;

(F) The father, or putative father, of a minor if the minor is conceived as the result of the commission of rape by the father or putative father and the father or putative father is convicted of or pleads guilty to the commission of that offense. As used in this division, "rape" means a violation of section 2907.02 of the Revised Code or a similar law of another state.

(G) A legal guardian or guardian ad litem of a parent judicially declared incompetent in a separate court proceeding who has failed to respond in writing to a request for consent, for a period of thirty days, or who, after examination of the written reasons for withholding consent, is found by the court to be withholding consent unreasonably;

(H) Any legal guardian or lawful custodian of the person to be adopted, other than a parent, who has failed to respond in writing to a request for consent, for a period of thirty days, or who, after examination of the written reasons for withholding consent, is found by the court to be withholding consent unreasonably;

(I) The spouse of the person to be adopted, if the failure of the spouse to consent to the adoption is found by the court to be by reason of prolonged unexplained absence, unavailability, incapacity, or circumstances that make it impossible or unreasonably difficult to obtain the consent or refusal of the spouse;

(J) Any parent, legal guardian, or other lawful custodian in a foreign country, if the person to be adopted has been released for adoption pursuant to the laws of the country in which the person resides and the release of such person is in a form that satisfies the requirements of the immigration and naturalization service of the United States department of justice for purposes of immigration to the United States pursuant to section 101(b)(1)(F) of the "Immigration and Nationality Act," 75 Stat. 650 (1961), 8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(1)(F), as amended or reenacted.

(K) Except as provided in divisions (G) and (H) of this section, a juvenile court, agency, or person given notice of the petition pursuant to division (A)(1) of section 3107.11 of the Revised Code that fails to file an objection to the petition within fourteen days after proof is filed pursuant to division (B) of that section that the notice was given;

(L) Any guardian, custodian, or other party who has temporary custody of the child.

Sec. 3107.16.  (A) Appeals from the probate court are subject to the Rules of Appellate Procedure and, to the extent not in conflict with those rules, Chapter 2505. of the Revised Code. Unless there is good cause for delay, appeals shall be heard on an expedited basis.

(B) Subject to the disposition of an appeal, upon the expiration of one year six months after an adoption decree is issued, the decree cannot be questioned by any person, including the petitioner, in any manner or upon any ground, including fraud, misrepresentation, failure to give any required notice, or lack of jurisdiction of the parties or of the subject matter, unless, in the case of the adoption of a minor, the petitioner has not taken custody of the minor, or, in the case of the adoption of a minor by a stepparent, the adoption would not have been granted but for fraud perpetrated by the petitioner or the petitioner's spouse, or, in the case of the adoption of an adult, the adult had no knowledge of the decree within the one-year six-month period.

Sec. 5103.17. (A) As used in this section:

(1) "Advertise" means a method of communication that is electronic, written, visual, or oral and made by means of personal representation, newspaper, magazine, circular, billboard, direct mailing, sign, radio, television, telephone, or otherwise.

(2) "Qualified adoptive parent" means a person who is eligible to adopt a child under section 3107.03 of the Revised Code and for whom an assessor has conducted a home study to determine whether the person is suitable to adopt a child, if required by section 3107.031 of the Revised Code.

(B) Subject to section 5103.16 of the Revised Code and to division (C), (D), or (E) of this section, no person or government entity, other than a private child placing agency or private noncustodial agency certified by the department of job and family services under section 5103.03 of the Revised Code or a public children services agency, shall advertise that the person or government entity will adopt children or place them in foster homes, hold out inducements to parents to part with their offspring, or in any manner knowingly become a party to the separation of a child from the child's parents or guardians, except through a juvenile court or probate court commitment.

(C) The biological parent of a child may advertise the availability for placement of the parent's child for adoption to a qualified adoptive parent.

(D) A qualified adoptive parent may advertise that the qualified adoptive parent is available for placement of a child into the qualified adoptive parent's care for the purpose of adopting the child.

(E) A government entity may advertise about its role in the placement of children for adoption or any other information that would be relevant to qualified adoptive parents.

(F) Except as provided in section 3107.055 of the Revised Code, the following apply:

(1) No person shall offer money or anything of value in exchange for placement of a child for adoption.

(2) No biological parent may request money or anything of value in exchange for placement for adoption of the parent's child with a qualified adoptive parent.

(G) If the department of job and family services has reasonable cause to believe a violation of this section has been committed, the department shall notify the attorney general or the county prosecutor, city attorney, village solicitor, or other chief legal officer of the political subdivision in which the violation has allegedly occurred. On receipt of the notification, the attorney general, county prosecutor, city attorney, village solicitor, or other chief legal officer shall take action to enforce this section through injunctive relief or criminal charge.

Sec. 5747.37. (A) As used in this section:

(A)(1) "Minor child" means a person under eighteen years of age.

(B)(2) "Legally adopt" means to adopt a minor child pursuant to Chapter 3107. of the Revised Code, or pursuant to the laws of any other state or nation if such an adoption is recognizable under section 3107.18 of the Revised Code. For the purposes of this section, a minor child is legally adopted when the final decree or order of adoption is issued by the proper court under the laws of the state or nation under which the child is adopted, or, in the case of an interlocutory order of adoption, when the order becomes final under the laws of the state or nation. "Legally adopt" does not include the adoption of a minor child by the child's stepparent.

(B) There is hereby granted a credit against the tax imposed by section 5747.02 of the Revised Code for the legal adoption by a taxpayer of a minor child. The amount of the credit shall be one thousand five hundred dollars for each minor child legally adopted by the taxpayer. The shall equal the greater of the following:

(1) One thousand five hundred dollars;

(2) The amount of expenses incurred by the taxpayer and the taxpayer's spouse to legally adopt the child, not to exceed ten thousand dollars. For the purposes of this division, expenses incurred to legally adopt a child include expenses described in division (C) of section 3107.055 of the Revised Code.

The taxpayer shall claim the credit for each child beginning with the taxable year in which the child was legally adopted. If the sum of the credit to which the taxpayer would otherwise be entitled under this section is greater than the tax due under section 5747.02 of the Revised Code for that taxable year after allowing for any other credits that precede the credit under this section in the order required under section 5747.98 of the Revised Code, such excess shall be allowed as a credit in each of the ensuing two five taxable years, but the amount of any excess credit allowed in any such taxable year shall be deducted from the balance carried forward to the ensuing taxable year. The credit shall be claimed in the order required under section 5747.98 of the Revised Code. For the purposes of making tax payments under this chapter, taxes equal to the amount of the credit shall be considered to be paid to this state on the first day of the taxable year.

The taxpayer shall provide to the tax commissioner any receipts or other documentation of the expenses incurred to legally adopt the child upon the request of the tax commissioner for the purpose of division (B)(2) of this section.

Sec. 5747.98.  (A) To provide a uniform procedure for calculating the amount of tax due under section 5747.02 of the Revised Code, a taxpayer shall claim any credits to which the taxpayer is entitled in the following order:

(1) The retirement income credit under division (B) of section 5747.055 of the Revised Code;

(2) The senior citizen credit under division (C) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(3) The lump sum distribution credit under division (D) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(4) The dependent care credit under section 5747.054 of the Revised Code;

(5) The lump sum retirement income credit under division (C) of section 5747.055 of the Revised Code;

(6) The lump sum retirement income credit under division (D) of section 5747.055 of the Revised Code;

(7) The lump sum retirement income credit under division (E) of section 5747.055 of the Revised Code;

(8) The low-income credit under section 5747.056 of the Revised Code;

(9) The credit for displaced workers who pay for job training under section 5747.27 of the Revised Code;

(10) The campaign contribution credit under section 5747.29 of the Revised Code;

(11) The twenty-dollar personal exemption credit under section 5747.022 of the Revised Code;

(12) The joint filing credit under division (G) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(13) The nonresident credit under division (A) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(14) The credit for a resident's out-of-state income under division (B) of section 5747.05 of the Revised Code;

(15) The earned income credit under section 5747.71 of the Revised Code;

(16) The credit for employers that reimburse employee child care expenses under section 5747.36 of the Revised Code;

(17) The credit for adoption of a minor child under section 5747.37 of the Revised Code;

(18) The credit for purchases of lights and reflectors under section 5747.38 of the Revised Code;

(19)(18) The nonrefundable job retention credit under division (B) of section 5747.058 of the Revised Code;

(20)(19) The credit for selling alternative fuel under section 5747.77 of the Revised Code;

(21)(20) The second credit for purchases of new manufacturing machinery and equipment and the credit for using Ohio coal under section 5747.31 of the Revised Code;

(22)(21) The job training credit under section 5747.39 of the Revised Code;

(23)(22) The enterprise zone credit under section 5709.66 of the Revised Code;

(24)(23) The credit for the eligible costs associated with a voluntary action under section 5747.32 of the Revised Code;

(24) The credit for adoption of a minor child under section 5747.37 of the Revised Code;

(25) The credit for employers that establish on-site child day-care centers under section 5747.35 of the Revised Code;

(26) The ethanol plant investment credit under section 5747.75 of the Revised Code;

(27) The credit for purchases of qualifying grape production property under section 5747.28 of the Revised Code;

(28) The small business investment credit under section 5747.81 of the Revised Code;

(29) The enterprise zone credits under section 5709.65 of the Revised Code;

(30) The research and development credit under section 5747.331 of the Revised Code;

(31) The credit for rehabilitating a historic building under section 5747.76 of the Revised Code;

(32) The refundable credit for rehabilitating a historic building under section 5747.76 of the Revised Code;

(33) The refundable jobs creation credit or job retention credit under division (A) of section 5747.058 of the Revised Code;

(34) The refundable credit for taxes paid by a qualifying entity granted under section 5747.059 of the Revised Code;

(35) The refundable credits for taxes paid by a qualifying pass-through entity granted under division (I) of section 5747.08 of the Revised Code;

(36) The refundable credit under section 5747.80 of the Revised Code for losses on loans made to the Ohio venture capital program under sections 150.01 to 150.10 of the Revised Code;

(37) The refundable motion picture production credit under section 5747.66 of the Revised Code;

(38) The refundable credit for financial institution taxes paid by a pass-through entity granted under section 5747.65 of the Revised Code.

(B) For any credit, except the refundable credits enumerated in this section and the credit granted under division (H) of section 5747.08 of the Revised Code, the amount of the credit for a taxable year shall not exceed the tax due after allowing for any other credit that precedes it in the order required under this section. Any excess amount of a particular credit may be carried forward if authorized under the section creating that credit. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to allow a taxpayer to claim, directly or indirectly, a credit more than once for a taxable year.

SECTION 2. That existing sections 3107.055, 3107.062, 3107.063, 3107.064, 3107.07, 3107.16, 5103.17, 5747.37, and 5747.98 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

SECTION 3. The amendment by this act of section 5747.37 of the Revised Code applies to taxable years ending on or after the effective date of this act.