HAMILTON — Butler County commissioners say the question over whether married couples should get preference in adoption placement appears to be settled on the local level.

Now state lawmakers are contemplating taking up the issue.

As far as commissioners are concerned, the policy — which gives preference in adoption placement to married couples over single parents or same-sex couples — has never been implemented and now won’t be.

The policy was created by the former Children Services director and put on hold pending legal review. The county prosecutor’s office issued an opinion last week that state law allows only the director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to alter the state-mandated preferences for adoption, which makes no mention of marital status.

State Rep. Tim Derickson, R-Hanover Twp., said he and Butler County’s other legislators are meeting with officials from ODJFS and the county prosecutor’s office to determine whether state rules should be changed to allow the policy.

“If legislation needs to be changed, if that’s what’s best for the kids, we’ll look at it,” Derickson said.

Commission President Donald Dixon has voiced support of the proposed policy, and still believes that children do better in homes with married parents.

But he said Thursday, April 16, that children can thrive in a number of environments, and “no group should be discriminated against or be made to feel they don’t have the same opportunities as everyone else.”

He and Commissioner Gregory Jolivette, who also supported the policy, said they’ll leave it up to state lawmakers whether the rules should be changed.

Commissioner Charles Furmon, the only one to oppose the policy, said he hopes prospective foster parents won’t be “scared off” by the debate.