S.B. 579 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 579 By: Lindsay Human Services Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current Texas law requires the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (department) to edit documents and records related to an adoption in order to protect the identity of the birth parents or other persons whose identity is confidential. As proposed, Senate Bill 579 provides that the department is not required to do so if the confidential information is already known to the birth parents or can easily be obtained through other sources, such as court records related to the child's custody. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 579 amends the Family Code by providing that the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (department), in an adoption in which the child is placed for adoption by the department, is not required to edit records to protect the identity of birth parents and other persons whose identity is confidential if the department determines that such information is already known to the adoptive parent or readily available through other sources, including certain court records, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003.