May 2025

2025. The Excitement Continues! 

RECAP:  Idaho's 2025 Legislative Session wrapped up on April 4.
The three things we got passed this term: 

• SENATE BILL 1058 will keep 'safe haven' babies out of the foster system. Instead, they can go for adoption placement within 24 hours!  
• SENATE BILL 1046 brings fetal development education into Idaho schools. Now, young students will see (and remember!) images of life in the womb.  A picture is worth a thousand words!
• Senate Concurrent Resolution SCR105  Idaho's Legislature approved the receipt & acceptance of funds for adoption awareness and birth mother care. More on this below.

Congratulations to the great State of Idaho, again leading the way in adoption legislation!  We at Unplanned Good are very pleased with these three passing, and appreciate your support!  We could not do this without you!

"The Third Option" and Senate Concurrent Resolution SCR105 

We have gathered a small coalition of national adoption leaders from across the country. Each person on this team is a passionate, pro-adoption powerhouse, leading their own national adoption-related organization.

The idea is to divert Federal funds to fuel state-level programs with these goals: 
1) to increase awareness of adoption as an option for women facing unplanned pregnancy through education, training and campaigns, and
2) to improve care for the brave women who choose adoption, then choose parents for their babies through birth mother programs, support and assistance.

With the passing of SCR105 this Session, Idaho's Legislature is willing to accept the funds, and the State's Dept of Health & Welfare is ready to put them to work.

This is so exciting!

Again, Idaho is leading as the first state to implement it, and we believe other States will follow.

Idaho Law Can Be Passed in Other States! 

Our adoption education bill is being introduced in three other States this month!  These include New Hampshire, Oregon and California. Successful passage in one State gives other lawmakers the confidence to introduce the bill.  

Here's our California Update:  Working with the California Family Council (CFC), Greg Burt & I talked with CA Assembly members about the Idaho adoption education bill. We had several who wanted to champion that bill in Sacramento(!)  Ultimately, it was split into two bills.   

• Assembly Member Leticia Castillo carried the K-12 bill, AB329  It directs schools teaching "comprehensive sex ed" to include more information about adoption. That bill came before the Education committee on April 9th, so I was in Sacramento to testify for it. The bill did not pass Committee even though it was supported by over two dozen proponents, it was opposed by Planned Parenthood.  
• Assembly Member Dave Tangipa carried the college-level bill, AB1453.  It directs UC and CSU campus medical centers to include adoption info when the student/patient has a pregnancy test or consultation confirming pregnancy. That bill came before the Higher Ed committee on April 22, so I was back in Sacramento to testify then.   The bill did not pass Committee even though it was supported by over four committee members, it was opposed by Planned Parenthood.  One committee member commented, "If Planned  Parenthood is opposing this, so am I". 

NOTE:  Neither of these two bills is hopeless, though. We plan to reintroduce them next year. Our hope is that the next generation won't be choosing between abortion and parenting without knowing that adoption can be a good, healthy option. 

Our mission is spreading the word about how adoption works these days. It can be so empowering now that our standard practices in the US have changed.
If you consider the long-term effects of all three options, clearly
adoption is THE HEALTHIEST option.  Don't believe it? 
Let me know and I'll send you one of the above books, FREE of charge.