Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to witness Governor Strickland sign Senate Bill 20 into law. As the House sponsor for the legislation, I had the privilege of working with the Senate sponsor, Senator Patricia Clancy, and the Ohio Christian Alliance on this very important piece of legislation. This simple piece of legislation triples the income tax adoption credit, from $500 per child to $1500 per child. It also allows the credit to be carried forward for up to two additional tax years.
According to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, as of October 1, 2005, the most recent figure available, there were 2,643 Ohio children waiting to be adopted, the majority of whom wait anywhere from several months to several years before adoption. Adoption is becoming evermore expensive, ranging anywhere from $2,500 to $40,000 dollars. These costs can be overwhelming to prospective adoptive parents. The Income Tax Adoption Credit will ease the burden on families willing to accept a child into their homes and relieve a small part of the financial burden that comes with adoption. I believe this credit will encourage more Ohio families to consider adoption and ultimately result in fewer Ohio children waiting for loving homes.
As a father, I know without a doubt that our children are the future of the state of Ohio - they are our most precious resource. To give our children every advantage, we must ensure they are healthy and well educated. That is why the Ohio House of Representatives made Ohio's children a priority in our recent budget bill, House Bill 119. Two of the measures within the bill of which I am most proud, are our increases in funding to Ohio's children's hospitals and higher education.
Children's hospitals serve all of Ohio's children as well as represent a safety net for severely ill and low-income children. These hospitals provide training for tomorrow's pediatric specialists while also conducting research leading to breakthroughs in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of childhood diseases. In order to help provide Ohio's children with the care they need, my colleagues and I restored additional funding for children's hospitals in House Bill 119. The House version of the budget provided $6 million in funding each year from the state and, when matched with federal dollars, $15 million each year in supplemental funding. Locally, this will benefit both Dayton and Cincinnati Children's Hospitals.
Please don't forget to attend the 36th Annual Brown County Charity Horse Show at the Brown County Fairgrounds this weekend. The proceeds from this worthwhile event benefit the Hospice of Hope for Ohio Valley.
As always, please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding any state-related matter. I can be reached by calling (614) 644-6034, via e-mail at district88@ohr.state.oh.us or by writing to me, State Representative Danny Bubp at 77 S. High St., 11th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215.
