The Adoption Counts Act requires state courts to report detailed information about all private adoptions finalized through voluntary consent or relinquishment to the federal Children's Bureau. Courts must submit annual reports documenting the age of adoptees at the time of adoption, the relationship between adoptees and adoptive parents (such as stepparent, relative, or legal guardian adoptions), whether children were born through surrogacy, and details about international adoptions and placements. States that fail to comply with these reporting requirements will be considered out of compliance with federal adoption statistics standards, creating an incentive for full participation. The law takes effect on January 1st of the first calendar year after enactment, giving states time to establish reporting systems. This legislation aims to create a more complete national picture of private adoptions, which have historically been underreported compared to public child welfare adoptions.
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