Texas schools to teach students about adoption as part of high school health

Texas has enacted a law requiring public high schools to teach children about adoption in high school health classes.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 1207 into law last month after it passed unanimously in both chambers.

A Texas Right to Life representative praised the bill, saying it will help vulnerable children.

“This new education standard is a game-changer. It gives students the knowledge and tools they need before they’re in a difficult situation,” Ashlynn Lemos said in a statement. “It also helps break down the stigma around adoption and shows it for what it really is: a brave and loving option. By passing this law, Texas is taking a bold step toward a culture that values Life and supports women. Adoption is not giving up. It’s giving hope. And now, more young Texans will know that.”

The new law is one of a few pro-adoption measures taken this year by states such as Oklahoma, which passed legislation in the spring to streamline adoption for relatives. Immediate family members, such as siblings and grandparents, can adopt more quickly under Oklahoma’s new law.

“The unanimous, bipartisan support behind the Shai Cooper Act shows just how committed the Legislature is to protecting children while making it easier for loving relatives to provide a safe, permanent home,” said Oklahoma bill sponsor Rep. Erick Harris, R-Edmond, in a release from his office. “I’m incredibly proud to see this bill, inspired by my constituent Shai Cooper, become law and make a real difference for families across Oklahoma.”

Meanwhile, a law enacted in Oregon in the spring marks Aug. 25 as “Oregon Adoption Day.”

Oregon Right to Life Executive Director Lois Anderson celebrated the bill’s passing.

“I’m delighted to see the Oregon Legislature so enthusiastically welcome Rep. Elmer’s bill to honor and celebrate adoption,” she said in a statement. “This bill sends a powerful message that every human life is a unique gift, regardless of the circumstances. It’s a message we desperately need here in Oregon, where abortion is tragically legal up to the moment of birth.”

These laws come as bipartisan efforts increase to make the $16,810 federal adoption tax credit fully refundable, as The Heartlander previously reported.