bill letting adult adoptees get their original birth certificate

The text as introduced · 387 words

89R5585 EAS-D

By: Metcalf
H.B. No. 1887

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to birth records of adopted persons; authorizing a fee.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 192.008, Health and Safety Code, is

amended by amending Subsections (c) and (d) and adding Subsections

(g) and (h) to read as follows:

(c) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules and

procedures consistent with this section to ensure that birth

records and indexes under the control of the department or local

registrars and accessible to the general public do not contain

information or cross-references through which the confidentiality

of adoption placements may be directly or indirectly violated. The

rules and procedures may not interfere with the registries

established under Subchapter E, Chapter 162, Family Code, or with a

court order under this section.

(d) Except as provided by Subsections (e) , [ and ] (f), and

(g), only the court that granted the adoption may order access to an

original birth certificate and the filed documents on which a

supplementary certificate is based.

(g) The state registrar shall on written request without a

court order provide to a person who was adopted or, if the adopted

person is deceased, an adult descendant, adult sibling, surviving

spouse, or adoptive parent of the adopted person, a noncertified

copy of the person's original birth certificate if:

(1) the adopted person was born in this state;

(2) the request is made on or after the adopted

person's 18th birthday;

(3) a supplementary birth certificate was issued for

the adopted person; and

(4) the person requesting the noncertified copy of

the original birth certificate provides, in person or by mail,

appropriate proof of the person's identity.

(h) For a noncertified copy of a person's original birth

certificate provided under Subsection (g), the state registrar

shall:

(1) collect a fee in an amount equal to the fee charged

for issuing a noncertified copy of a birth certificate; and

(2) issue the copy within the time prescribed for

issuance of other noncertified copies of birth certificates.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Sections 192.008(g) and (h),

Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, the state registrar is

not required to comply with those provisions until July 1, 2026.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.