Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4611 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R15779 AMF-F
2	2	By: Slawson H.B. No. 4611
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to mutual consent voluntary adoption registries.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Section 162.407, Family Code, is amended by
12	12	amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (d-1) to
13	13	read as follows:
14	14	(a) The administrator shall require each registration
15	15	applicant to sign a written application or electronically sign an
16	16	online application.
17	17	(d) The administrator may not accept an application for
18	18	registration unless the applicant:
19	19	(1) provides proof of identity as provided by Section
20	20	162.408;
21	21	(2) establishes the applicant's eligibility to
22	22	register; and
23	23	(3) pays all applicable [required] registration fees
24	24	or submits an application for a fee waiver described by Section
25	25	162.411(e) or (f).
26	26	(d-1) The administrator shall ensure that an applicant may
27	27	submit the application, proof of identity, and any applicable fees
28	28	or application for a fee waiver under Subsection (d) through an
29	29	online submission portal.
30	30	SECTION 2. Section 162.409(a), Family Code, is amended to
31	31	read as follows:
32	32	(a) An application must contain:
33	33	(1) the name, address, [and] telephone number, and
34	34	e-mail address of the applicant;
35	35	(2) any other name or alias by which the applicant has
36	36	been known;
37	37	(3) the age, date of birth, and place of birth of the
38	38	applicant;
39	39	(4) the original name of the adoptee, if known;
40	40	(5) the adoptive name of the adoptee, if known;
41	41	(6) a statement that the applicant is willing to allow
42	42	the applicant's identity to be disclosed to a registrant who is
43	43	eligible to learn the applicant's identity;
44	44	(7) the name, address, and telephone number of the
45	45	agency or other entity, organization, or person placing the adoptee
46	46	for adoption, if known, or, if not known, a statement that the
47	47	applicant does not know that information;
48	48	(8) an authorization to the administrator and the
49	49	administrator's designees to inspect all vital statistics records,
50	50	court records, and agency records, including confidential records,
51	51	relating to the birth, adoption, marriage, and divorce of the
52	52	applicant or to the birth and death of any child or sibling by birth
53	53	or adoption of the applicant;
54	54	(9) the specific address to which the applicant wishes
55	55	notice of a successful match to be mailed;
56	56	(10) a statement that the applicant either does or
57	57	does not consent to disclosure of identifying information about the
58	58	applicant after the applicant's death;
59	59	(11) a statement that the registration is to be
60	60	effective for 99 years or for a stated shorter period selected by
61	61	the applicant; [and]
62	62	(12) a statement that the adoptee applicant either
63	63	does or does not desire to be informed that registry records
64	64	indicate that the applicant has a biological sibling who has
65	65	registered under this subchapter; and
66	66	(13) an explanation of the process for applying for
67	67	the fee waivers described by Sections 162.411(e) and (f).
68	68	SECTION 3. Section 162.411, Family Code, is amended by
69	69	adding Subsections (f) and (g) to read as follows:
70	70	(f) The administrator shall waive users' fees if the
71	71	applicant is or ever has been in the conservatorship of the
72	72	department or in foster care in another state.
73	73	(g) The process for applying for the fee waivers described
74	74	by Subsections (e) and (f) must be displayed prominently on:
75	75	(1) the Internet website of the Department of State
76	76	Health Services;
77	77	(2) the Internet website of each administrator;
78	78	(3) each online application submission portal; and
79	79	(4) a written application for registration.
80	80	SECTION 4. Section 162.412(b), Family Code, is amended to
81	81	read as follows:
82	82	(b) The administrator does not have a duty to search for a
83	83	registrant who fails to register a change of name or address, except
84	84	that the administrator shall attempt to contact by e-mail a
85	85	registrant who has provided an e-mail address if a match has been
86	86	made but a name or address discrepancy is preventing the
87	87	administrator from confirming the match.
88	88	SECTION 5. Section 162.416(a), Family Code, is amended to
89	89	read as follows:
90	90	(a) When a match has been made and confirmed to the
91	91	administrator's satisfaction, the administrator shall mail to each
92	92	registrant, at the registrant's last known address, by fax or
93	93	registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, delivery
94	94	restricted to addressee only, a written notice:
95	95	(1) informing the registrant that a match has been
96	96	made and confirmed;
97	97	(2) reminding the registrant that the registrant may
98	98	withdraw the registration before disclosures are made, if desired;
99	99	and
100	100	(3) notifying the registrant that before any
101	101	identifying disclosures are made, the registrant must[:
102	102	[(A)] sign a written consent to disclosure that
103	103	allows the disclosure of identifying information about the other
104	104	registrants to the registrant and allows the disclosure of
105	105	identifying information about the registrant to other
106	106	registrants[;
107	107	[(B) participate in counseling for not less than
108	108	one hour with a social worker or mental health professional who has
109	109	expertise in postadoption counseling; and
110	110	[(C) provide the administrator with written
111	111	certification that the counseling required under Subdivision (B)
112	112	has been completed].
113	113	SECTION 6. Section 162.413, Family Code, is repealed.
114	114	SECTION 7. As soon as practicable after the effective date
115	115	of this Act, the vital statistics unit of the Department of State
116	116	Health Services shall update as necessary the application as
117	117	required by Section 162.409(a), Family Code, as amended by this
118	118	Act.
119	119	SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.