HB 1255

Abstract

Amends the Vital Records Act. Provides that if a new birth certificate is issued subsequent to an adoption, the original certificate is not subject to inspection until the adopted person has reached the age of 21; but thereafter, the original certificate is available as provided by the Adoption Act. Amends the Adoption Act. Provides that for purposes of the Act, a "surviving spouse" means the wife or husband, age 21 or over, of a deceased adopted or surrendered person who would be age 21 or older if still alive (instead of a deceased adopted or surrendered person) and who has one or more surviving biological children (instead of one or more biological children) who are under the age of 21. Provides that if a registrant is the subject of a Denial of Information Exchange filed by another registered party or is an adopted or surrendered person, or the surviving relative of a deceased adopted or surrendered person, and a birth parent of the adopted or surrendered person completed a Birth Parent Preference Form and selected the option to deny the release of information about himself or herself to designated persons (instead of a registrant is the subject of a Denial of Information Exchange filed by another registered party), the Registry shall not release identifying information to either registrant or, if applicable, to an adopted person who has requested a copy of his or her original birth certificate (instead of to either registrant), with the exception of non-certified copies of the original birth certificate released under the Act, and as to a birth parent who has prohibited release of identifying information on the original birth certificate to the adult adopted or surrendered person, upon the death of the birth parent. Provides that birth parents whose birth child was born before January 1, 1946, may communicate their wishes regarding contact by filing a Birth Parent Preference Form with the Registry, but may not prohibit the release of identifying information. Provides that in cases where all birth parents on the original birth certificate of an adopted or surrendered person born after January 1, 1946, are deceased and copies of death certificates for the birth parents named on the original birth certificate have been filed with the Registry by either a confidential intermediary, a surviving relative of the deceased birth parent, or a birth child of the deceased birth parent (instead of only a confidential intermediary or a surviving relative of the deceased birth parent), the Registry is authorized to release a non-certified copy of the original birth certificate to the adopted or surrendered person upon request. Provides that the Medical Information Exchange Questionnaire shall include a comprehensive check-list of medical conditions, including those of genetic origin. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.