The South Dakota Catholic Conference supports the passage of House Bill 1311, which would require that courts use state adoption laws in all instances of voluntary termination of parent-child relationships. It would thus eliminate the use of commercial contracts currently being used to end these most important relationships. While the Church expresses profound love for couples who long for the gift of a child, the use of commercial contracts to transfer custody of children for compensation commodifies human persons, treating them as objects of trade, rather than as gifts from God. HB 1311 keeps the best interests of children at the center of state domestic relations law, and recognizes that all life is a sacred gift from God to be received with love.
Categories: 2022 Session