Prohibited payments

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    (a)    Except as otherwise provided by law, a person may not charge or receive, from or for a parent or prospective adoptive parent, any compensation for a service in connection with:

        (1)    placement of an individual to live with a preadoptive family; or

        (2)    an agreement for custody in contemplation of adoption.

    (b)    This section does not prohibit payment, by an interested person, of:

        (1)    a reasonable and customary charge or fee for adoption counseling, hospital, legal, or medical services;

        (2)    reasonable expenses for transportation for medical care associated with the pregnancy or birth of the child;

        (3)    reasonable expenses for food, clothing, and shelter for a birth mother if, on written advice of a physician, the birth mother is unable to work or otherwise support herself because of medical reasons associated with the pregnancy or birth of the child; or

        (4)    reasonable expenses associated with any required court appearance relating to the adoption, including transportation, food, and lodging expenses.

    (c)    Each State’s Attorney shall enforce this section.

    (d)    A person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $100 or imprisonment not exceeding 3 months or both, for each offense.


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