VT
Vermont House Bill H0098

Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session

Vermont House Bill H0098 Compare Versions

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1-BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.98
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3-H.98
4-IntroducedbyRepresentativesRachelsonofBurlington,Arsenaultof
5-Williston,ChristieofHartford,GoodnowofBrattleboro,
6-HeadrickofBurlington,andLaLondeofSouthBurlington
7-ReferredtoCommitteeon
8-Date:
9-Subject:Adoption;confirmatoryadoption
10-Statementofpurposeofbillasintroduced:Thisbillproposestoestablishan
11-expeditedconfirmatoryadoptionprocessforparentswhoconceivedachild
12-throughassistedreproductionandareparentsunderStatelaw.
13-Anactrelatingtoconfirmatoryadoptions
14-ItisherebyenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyoftheStateofVermont:
15-Sec.1.15AV.S.A.§1-114isaddedtoread:
16-§ 1-114.CONFIRMATORY ADOPTIONFORCHILDRENBORN
17-THROUGHASSISTEDREPRODUCTION 
18-(a)Asusedinthissection:
19-(1)“Assistedreproduction”meansamethodofcausingpregnancyother
20-thansexualintercourseandincludes:
21-(A)intrauterine,intracervical,orvaginalinsemination;
22-(B)donationofgametes;
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1+BILL AS INTRODUCED H.98
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5+VT LEG #379118 v.1
6+H.98 1
7+Introduced by Representatives Rachelson of Burlington, Arsenault of 2
8+Williston, Christie of Hartford, Goodnow of Brattleboro, 3
9+Headrick of Burlington, and LaLonde of South Burlington 4
10+Referred to Committee on 5
11+Date: 6
12+Subject: Adoption; confirmatory adoption 7
13+Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to establish an 8
14+expedited confirmatory adoption process for parents who conceived a child 9
15+through assisted reproduction and are parents under State law. 10
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45-(C)donationofembryos;
46-(D)invitrofertilizationandtransferofembryos;and
47-(E)intracytoplasmicsperminjection.
48-(2)“Marriage”includescivilunionandanylegalrelationshipthat
49-providessubstantiallythesamerights,benefits,andresponsibilitiesas
50-marriageandisrecognizedasvalidinthestateorjurisdictioninwhichitwas
51-entered.
52-(3)“Petitioners”meansthepersonsfilingapetitionforadoptionin
53-accordancewiththissection.
54-(b)Wheneverachildisbornasaresultofassistedreproductionandthe
55-personorpersonswhodidnotgivebirthareaparentpursuantto15CV.S.A.
56-§ 703orpresumedparentpursuantto15C V.S.A.§ 401andtheparentsseekto
57-fileapetitiontoconfirmparentagethroughanadoptionofthechild,thecourt
58-shallpermittheparentstofileapetitionforadoptioninaccordancewiththis
59-section.
60-(c)Acompletepetitionshallcomprisethefollowing:
61-(1)thepetitionforadoptionsignedbyallparties;
62-(2)acopyofthepetitioners’marriagecertificate,ifpetitionersare
63-married;
64-(3)adeclarationsignedbythepersonwhogavebirthandtheperson
65-whodidnotgivebirthexplainingthecircumstancesofthechild’sbirth
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88-throughassistedreproduction,attestingtotheirconsenttoassisted
89-reproduction,andattestingthatnocompetingclaimsofparentageexist;and
90-(4)acertifiedcopyofthechild’sbirthcertificate.
91-(d)Acompletepetitionforadoption,asdescribedinsubsection(c)ofthis
92-section,shallserveasthepetitioners’writtenconsentstoadoptionandno
93-additionalconsentornoticeshallberequired.
94-(e)Ifthepetitionersconceivedthroughassistedreproductionwithdonor
95-gametesordonorembryospursuantto15CV.S.A.chapter7,thecourtshall
96-notrequirenoticeoftheadoptiontothedonororconsenttotheadoptionby
97-thedonor.
98-(f)Unlessotherwiseorderedbythecourtforgoodcauseshownand
99-supportedbywrittenfindingsofthecourtdemonstratinggoodcause,for
100-purposesofevaluatingandgrantingapetitionforadoptionpursuanttothis
101-section,thecourtshallnotrequire:
102-(1)anin-personhearingorappearance;
103-(2)aninvestigationorhomestudyby,anoticeto,ortheapprovalofthe
104-DepartmentforChildrenandFamilies;
105-(3)acriminal-recordcheck;
106-(4)verificationthatthechildisnotregisteredwiththefederalregister
107-formissingchildrenorthecentralregister;or
108-(5)aminimumresidencyperiodinthehomeofthepetitioners.
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131-(g)Thecourtshallgranttheadoptionunderthissectionandissuean
132-adoptiondecreewithin30daysuponfindingthat:
133-(1)formaritalparents,theparentwhogavebirthandthespousewere
134-marriedatthetimeofthechild’sbirthandthechildwasbornthroughassisted
135-reproduction;or
136-(2)fornonmaritalparents:
137-(A)thepersonwhogavebirthandthenonmaritalparentconsentedto
138-theassistedreproduction;and
139-(B)therearenocompetingclaimsofparentageorthatanyother
140-personwithaclaimtoparentageofthechildwhoisrequiredtobeprovided
141-noticeof,orwhomustconsentto,theadoptionhasbeennotifiedorprovided
142-consenttotheadoption.
143-(h)Apetitiontoadoptachildpursuanttothissectionshallnotbedenied
144-onthebasisthatanyofthepetitioners’parentageisalreadypresumedor
145-legallyrecognizedinVermont.
146-(i)Whenparentageispresumedorlegallyrecognizedpursuantto
147-15C V.S.A.§ 201,thefactthatthepartiesdidnotpetitionforadoption
148-pursuanttothissectionshallnotbeconsideredasevidencewhentwoormore
149-presumptionsconflict,norindeterminingthebestinterestsofthechild.
150-Sec.2.EFFECTIVEDATE
151-ThisactshalltakeeffectonSeptember1,2025.
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174-Sec.1.15AV.S.A.§1-114isaddedtoread:
175-§ 1-114.CONFIRMATORYADOPTIONFORCHILDRENBORN
176-THROUGHASSISTEDREPRODUCTION 
177-(a)Asusedinthissection:
178-(1)“Assistedreproduction”meansamethodofcausingpregnancyother
179-thansexualintercourseandincludes:
180-(A)intrauterine,intracervical,orvaginalinsemination;
181-(B)donationofgametes;
182-(C)donationofembryos;
183-(D)invitrofertilizationandtransferofembryos;and
184-(E)intracytoplasmicsperminjection.
185-(2)“Donor”meansapersonwhocontributesagameteorgametesor
186-anembryoorembryostoanotherpersonforassistedreproductionor
187-gestation,whetherornotforconsideration.Thistermdoesnotinclude:
188-(A)apersonwhogivesbirthtoachildconceivedbyassisted
189-reproductionexceptasotherwiseprovidedin15CV.S.A.chapter8;or
190-(B)aparentunder15CV.S.A.chapter7oranintendedparentunder
191-15CV.S.A.chapter8.
192-(3)“Marriage”includescivilunionandanylegalrelationshipthat
193-providessubstantiallythesamerights,benefits,andresponsibilitiesas BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.98
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195-marriageandisrecognizedasvalidinthestateorjurisdictioninwhichitwas
196-entered.
197-(4)“Petitioners”meansthepersonsfilingapetitionforadoptionin
198-accordancewiththissection.
199-(b)Wheneverachildisbornasaresultofassistedreproductionandthe
200-personorpersonswhodidnotgivebirthareaparentpursuantto15CV.S.A.
201-§ 703orpresumedparentpursuantto15C V.S.A.§ 401andtheparentsseekto
202-fileapetitiontoconfirmparentagethroughanadoptionofthechild,thecourt
203-shallpermittheparentstofileapetitionforadoptioninaccordancewiththis
204-section.
205-(c)Acompletepetitionshallcomprisethefollowing:
206-(1)thepetitionforadoptionsignedbyallparents;
207-(2)acopyofthepetitioners’marriagecertificate,ifpetitionersare
208-married;
209-(3)adeclarationsignedbytheparentsexplainingthecircumstancesof
210-thechild’sbirththroughassistedreproduction,attestingtotheirconsentto
211-assistedreproduction,andstatingthattherearenootherpersonswithaclaim
212-toparentageofthechildunderTitle15C;and
213-(4)acertifiedcopyofthechild’sbirthcertificate. BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.98
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215-(d)Acompletepetitionforadoption,asdescribedinsubsection(c)ofthis
216-section,shallserveasthepetitioners’writtenconsentstoadoptionandno
217-additionalconsentornoticeshallberequired.
218-(e)Ifthepetitionersconceivedthroughassistedreproductionwithdonor
219-gametesordonorembryos,thecourtshallnotrequirenoticeoftheadoptionto
220-thedonororconsenttotheadoptionbythedonor.
221-(f)Unlessotherwiseorderedbythecourtforgoodcauseshownand
222-supportedbywrittenfindingsofthecourtdemonstratinggoodcause,for
223-purposesofevaluatingandgrantingapetitionforadoptionpursuanttothis
224-section,thecourtshallnotrequire:
225-(1)anin-personhearingorappearance,althoughthecourtmayrequire
226-aremotehearing;
227-(2)aninvestigationorhomestudyby,anoticeto,ortheapprovalofthe
228-DepartmentforChildrenandFamilies;
229-(3)acriminal-recordcheck;
230-(4)verificationthatthechildisnotregisteredwiththefederalregister
231-formissingchildrenorthecentralregister;or
232-(5)aminimumresidencyperiodinthehomeofthepetitioners.
233-(g)Thecourtshallgranttheadoptionunderthissectionandissuean
234-adoptiondecreepromptlyafterthefilingofacompletepetitionandupon
235-findingthat: BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.98
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237-(1)formaritalparents,theparentwhogavebirthandthespousewere
238-marriedatthetimeofthechild’sbirthandthechildwasbornthroughassisted
239-reproduction;or
240-(2)fornonmaritalparents:
241-(A)thepersonwhogavebirthandthenonmaritalparentconsented
242-totheassistedreproduction;and
243-(B)nootherpersonhasaclaimtoparentagepursuanttoTitle15C
244-orthatanyotherpersonwithaclaimtoparentageofthechildwhoisrequired
245-tobeprovidednoticeof,orwhomustconsentto,theadoptionhasbeen
246-notifiedorprovidedconsenttotheadoption.
247-(h)Unlessnoticehasbeenwaivedorconsentgivenfortheadoption,a
248-copyofthepetitionandnoticeofaproceedingunderthissectionshallbe
249-serveduponanypersonentitledtonoticewithin30daysafterthepetitionis
250-filed.Thenoticeshallincludetheaddressandtelephonenumberofthecourt
251-wherethepetitionispendingandastatementthatthepersonservedwiththe
252-noticeandpetitionshallfileawrittenappearanceintheproceedingwithin20
253-daysafterserviceinordertoparticipateintheproceedingandtoreceive
254-furthernoticeoftheproceeding,includingnoticeofthetimeandplaceofany
255-hearing.Serviceofthenoticeandpetitionshallbemadeinamanner
256-appropriateundertheVermontRulesofProbateProcedureunlessthecourt BILLASPASSEDBYTHEHOUSE H.98
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258-otherwisedirects.Proofofserviceoneachpersonentitledtoreceivenotice
259-shallbeonfilewiththecourtbeforethecourtactsonthepetition.
260-(h)(i)Apetitiontoadoptachildpursuanttothissectionshallnotbe
261-deniedonthebasisthatanyofthepetitioners’parentageisalreadypresumed
262-orlegallyrecognizedinVermont.
263-(i)(j)Whenparentageispresumedorlegallyrecognizedpursuantto
264-15C V.S.A.§ 201,thefactthatapersondidnotpetitionforadoptionpursuant
265-tothissectionshallnotbeconsideredasevidencewhentwoormore
266-presumptionsconflict,norindeterminingthebestinterestsofthechild.
267-Sec.2.EFFECTIVEDATE
268-ThisactshalltakeeffectonJuly1,2025.
17+An act relating to confirmatory adoptions 12
18+It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 13
19+Sec. 1. 15A V.S.A. § 1-114 is added to read: 14
20+§ 1-114. CONFIRMATORY ADOPTION FOR CHILDREN BORN 15
21+ THROUGH ASSISTED REPRODUCTION 16
22+(a) As used in this section: 17
23+(1) “Assisted reproduction” means a method of causing pregnancy other 18
24+than sexual intercourse and includes: 19
25+(A) intrauterine, intracervical, or vaginal insemination; 20
26+(B) donation of gametes; 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.98
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31+(C) donation of embryos; 1
32+(D) in vitro fertilization and transfer of embryos; and 2
33+(E) intracytoplasmic sperm injection. 3
34+(2) “Marriage” includes civil union and any legal relationship that 4
35+provides substantially the same rights, benefits, and responsibilities as 5
36+marriage and is recognized as valid in the state or jurisdiction in which it was 6
37+entered. 7
38+(3) “Petitioners” means the persons filing a petition for adoption in 8
39+accordance with this section. 9
40+(b) Whenever a child is born as a result of assisted reproduction and the 10
41+person or persons who did not give birth are a parent pursuant to 15C V.S.A. 11
42+§ 703 or presumed parent pursuant to 15C V.S.A. § 401 and the parents seek to 12
43+file a petition to confirm parentage through an adoption of the child, the court 13
44+shall permit the parents to file a petition for adoption in accordance with this 14
45+section. 15
46+(c) A complete petition shall comprise the following: 16
47+(1) the petition for adoption signed by all parties; 17
48+(2) a copy of the petitioners’ marriage certificate, if petitioners are 18
49+married; 19
50+(3) a declaration signed by the person who gave birth and the person 20
51+who did not give birth explaining the circumstances of the child’s birth through 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.98
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55+VT LEG #379118 v.1
56+assisted reproduction, attesting to their consent to assisted reproduction, and 1
57+attesting that no competing claims of parentage exist; and 2
58+(4) a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate. 3
59+(d) A complete petition for adoption, as described in subsection (c) of this 4
60+section, shall serve as the petitioners’ written consents to adoption and no 5
61+additional consent or notice shall be required. 6
62+(e) If the petitioners conceived through assisted reproduction with donor 7
63+gametes or donor embryos pursuant to 15C V.S.A. chapter 7, the court shall 8
64+not require notice of the adoption to the donor or consent to the adoption by the 9
65+donor. 10
66+(f) Unless otherwise ordered by the court for good cause shown and 11
67+supported by written findings of the court demonstrating good cause, for 12
68+purposes of evaluating and granting a petition for adoption pursuant to this 13
69+section, the court shall not require: 14
70+(1) an in-person hearing or appearance; 15
71+(2) an investigation or home study by, a notice to, or the approval of the 16
72+Department for Children and Families; 17
73+(3) a criminal-record check; 18
74+(4) verification that the child is not registered with the federal register 19
75+for missing children or the central register; or 20
76+(5) a minimum residency period in the home of the petitioners. 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.98
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81+(g) The court shall grant the adoption under this section and issue an 1
82+adoption decree within 30 days upon finding that: 2
83+(1) for marital parents, the parent who gave birth and the spouse were 3
84+married at the time of the child’s birth and the child was born through assisted 4
85+reproduction; or 5
86+(2) for nonmarital parents: 6
87+(A) the person who gave birth and the nonmarital parent consented to 7
88+the assisted reproduction; and 8
89+(B) there are no competing claims of parentage or that any other 9
90+person with a claim to parentage of the child who is required to be provided 10
91+notice of, or who must consent to, the adoption has been notified or provided 11
92+consent to the adoption. 12
93+(h) A petition to adopt a child pursuant to this section shall not be denied 13
94+on the basis that any of the petitioners’ parentage is already presumed or 14
95+legally recognized in Vermont. 15
96+(i) When parentage is presumed or legally recognized pursuant to 16
97+15C V.S.A. § 201, the fact that the parties did not petition for adoption 17
98+pursuant to this section shall not be considered as evidence when two or more 18
99+presumptions conflict, nor in determining the best interests of the child. 19
100+Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 20
101+This act shall take effect on September 1, 2025. 21