BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1887 By: Metcalf Public Health Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, an adopted person must petition the court in which their adoption took place in order to receive their original birth certificate because only that court may order access to the certificate, except that an adult adoptee is entitled to a noncertified copy of their original birth certificate without a court order if they know the identity of each parent named on the certificate. H.B. 1887 seeks to expand access to birth certificates of adult adoptees by requiring the state registrar of vital statistics, on written request, to provide to an adopted person or certain family members of a deceased adopted person a noncertified copy of the adopted person's original birth certificate without a court order under certain conditions. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill. ANALYSIS H.B. 1887 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the state registrar of vital statistics, on written request without a court order, to provide to an adopted person or, if the adopted person is deceased, to an adult descendant, adult sibling, surviving spouse, or adoptive parent of the adopted person a noncertified copy of the adopted person's original birth certificate under the following conditions: the adopted person was born in Texas; 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 requesting the copy provides appropriate proof of the person's identity, in person or by mail. The bill requires the state registrar to collect a fee for this service in an amount equal to the fee charged for issuing a noncertified copy of a birth certificate and to issue the copy within the time prescribed for issuance of other noncertified copies of birth certificates. The state registrar is not required to comply with these requirements until July 1, 2026. H.B. 1887 specifies that the rules and procedures adopted by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission for ensuring that birth records and indexes accessible to the general public do not contain information or cross-references through which the confidentiality of adoption placements may be violated are to be consistent with provisions regarding birth records of an adopted person, as amended by the bill. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 1887
By: Metcalf
Public Health
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 1887
By: Metcalf
Public Health
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, an adopted person must petition the court in which their adoption took place in order to receive their original birth certificate because only that court may order access to the certificate, except that an adult adoptee is entitled to a noncertified copy of their original birth certificate without a court order if they know the identity of each parent named on the certificate. H.B. 1887 seeks to expand access to birth certificates of adult adoptees by requiring the state registrar of vital statistics, on written request, to provide to an adopted person or certain family members of a deceased adopted person a noncertified copy of the adopted person's original birth certificate without a court order under certain conditions.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill.
ANALYSIS H.B. 1887 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the state registrar of vital statistics, on written request without a court order, to provide to an adopted person or, if the adopted person is deceased, to an adult descendant, adult sibling, surviving spouse, or adoptive parent of the adopted person a noncertified copy of the adopted person's original birth certificate under the following conditions: the adopted person was born in Texas; 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 requesting the copy provides appropriate proof of the person's identity, in person or by mail. The bill requires the state registrar to collect a fee for this service in an amount equal to the fee charged for issuing a noncertified copy of a birth certificate and to issue the copy within the time prescribed for issuance of other noncertified copies of birth certificates. The state registrar is not required to comply with these requirements until July 1, 2026. H.B. 1887 specifies that the rules and procedures adopted by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission for ensuring that birth records and indexes accessible to the general public do not contain information or cross-references through which the confidentiality of adoption placements may be violated are to be consistent with provisions regarding birth records of an adopted person, as amended by the bill.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Under current law, an adopted person must petition the court in which their adoption took place in order to receive their original birth certificate because only that court may order access to the certificate, except that an adult adoptee is entitled to a noncertified copy of their original birth certificate without a court order if they know the identity of each parent named on the certificate. H.B. 1887 seeks to expand access to birth certificates of adult adoptees by requiring the state registrar of vital statistics, on written request, to provide to an adopted person or certain family members of a deceased adopted person a noncertified copy of the adopted person's original birth certificate without a court order under certain conditions.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 1887 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the state registrar of vital statistics, on written request without a court order, to provide to an adopted person or, if the adopted person is deceased, to an adult descendant, adult sibling, surviving spouse, or adoptive parent of the adopted person a noncertified copy of the adopted person's original birth certificate under the following conditions:
the adopted person was born in Texas;
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 requesting the copy provides appropriate proof of the person's identity, in person or by mail.
The bill requires the state registrar to collect a fee for this service in an amount equal to the fee charged for issuing a noncertified copy of a birth certificate and to issue the copy within the time prescribed for issuance of other noncertified copies of birth certificates. The state registrar is not required to comply with these requirements until July 1, 2026.
H.B. 1887 specifies that the rules and procedures adopted by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission for ensuring that birth records and indexes accessible to the general public do not contain information or cross-references through which the confidentiality of adoption placements may be violated are to be consistent with provisions regarding birth records of an adopted person, as amended by the bill.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.