79R7698 JMM-F


By:  Goolsby                                                      H.B. No. 240



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the right of an adopted person to have access to the 
person's original birth certificate.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 192.008, Health and Safety Code, is 
amended by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (f) to 
read as follows:
	(d)  Except as provided by Subsections [Subsection] (e) and 
(f), only the court that granted the adoption may order access to an 
original birth certificate and the filed documents on which a 
supplementary certificate is based.
	(f)  An adult adoptee who is applying for access to the 
person's original birth certificate and who knows the identity of 
each parent named on the original birth certificate is entitled to a 
noncertified copy of the original birth certificate without 
obtaining a court order.
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies to 
access to an original birth certificate by an adopted person 
without regard to whether the adoption order for the person was 
rendered before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.