88R17160 BPG-D
By: Harris of Anderson H.R. No. 564
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Allied organizations are gathering at the State
Capitol on March 21, 2023, to advocate for the right of adopted
adults to access their original birth certificates; and
WHEREAS, Under current Texas law, a child's original birth
certificate is sealed when he or she is adopted; at the age of 18,
adoptees may apply for their birth certificate, and if they know the
identity of the parents named on that document, the vital
statistics unit must release a noncertified copy; however, adoptees
who do not know the names of their birth parents are required to
petition for access in court in the county that granted the
adoption, showing "good cause," a term that the law does not define;
and
WHEREAS, Concealment of true parentage is an unfortunate
vestige of another era; barriers to obtaining the original birth
certificate deprive adoptees of vital information about their
personal identity, and the lack of transparency denies family
medical histories that could indicate the nature of health issues
or warn of the need for preventative care; the right to such
information is broadly understood, and a 2021 poll by Baselice &
Associates showed that 77 percent of Texans believe that adult
adoptees should have the same access to their original birth
certificates that all other adult Texans have; and
WHEREAS, Dedicated to ending the inequitable treatment of
adult adoptees who do not know the identity of their birth parents,
allied groups are registering their support of House Bill 2006; the
bill grants all adult adoptees the right to access their original
birth certificates, and it incorporates provisions that represent
the interests of adult adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive
parents alike; and
WHEREAS, Over the years, the inability to access an original
birth certificate has been the source of much heartbreak and
confusion, and the organizations and individuals working
tirelessly for a solution have demonstrated a commendable
commitment to honesty, justice, and equality for adult adoptees;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize March 21, 2023, as Texas Adoptee
Rights Day at the State Capitol.