H.B. No. 240




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. ______________________________ ______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.B. No. 240 was passed by the House on April 21, 2005, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.B. No. 240 was passed by the Senate on May 24, 2005, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. ______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: _____________________ Date _____________________ Governor