Bill

HB 1386

87(R) - 2021
House Public Health
House Public Health
Family Values
Health & Human Services
Health
Adoption

Contact the Author

Cody Harris

Phone:

512-463-0730

Capitol Office:

Room E2.816

Email:

Vote Recommendation

Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Cody Harris
Steve Allison
Donna Howard
Will Metcalf

Co-Author(s)

Jessica Gonzalez
Celia Israel
Julie Johnson
Theresa Meza
Eddie Rodriguez

Bill Caption

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

Fiscal Notes

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. 

Bill Analysis

HB 1386 would allow the state registrar, on written request, to provide to a person who was adopted or, if the adopted person is deceased a family member, a noncertified copy of the person's original birth certificate without obtaining a court order. This can be done if the adopted person was born in the state, the request is made on or after the adopted person's 18th birthday, a supplementary birth certificate was issued for the adopted person; and the person requested provides appropriate proof of the person's identity by mail or in person. 

For these services, the state registrar would be required to collect a fee equal to the fee charged for the issuance of a noncertified copy of a birth certificate. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

HB 1386 would allow adopted individuals to find out who their birth parents are after the age of 18. This certainly benefits the individual liberty of adoptees wishing to access government records regarding the circumstances of their birth. On the other hand it would infringe on the liberty of birth parents who entered into closed adoptions and who do not wish to be sought out by a child they gave up for adoption. Due to the fact that this bill both upholds and infringes upon our individual liberty principle, we remain neutral on HB 1386.

Contact the Author

Cody Harris

Phone:

512-463-0730

Capitol Office:

Room E2.816

Email: