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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to notification and informational materials regarding |
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mutual consent voluntary adoption registries. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) This Act shall be known as the Mothers' |
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Privacy Protection Act. |
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(b) It is the intent of the legislature that parties to an |
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adoption be informed of all future contact options and resources, |
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while respecting and protecting the decisions of parties to allow |
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or not allow contact. |
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SECTION 2. Section 162.403, Family Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read as follows: |
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(d) The vital statistics unit shall develop informational |
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materials for birth parents and adoptive parents regarding the |
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central registry and the other registries established under |
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Subsection (b). The unit shall make the informational materials |
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readily available on the Internet website of the Department of |
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State Health Services. |
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(e) An authorized agency shall: |
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(1) notify in writing the birth parents and adoptive |
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parents of a child for whom the authorized agency is providing |
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adoption services of the existence of: |
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(A) the central registry; and |
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(B) any registry established by the authorized |
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agency or by another authorized agency or an association of those |
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agencies with whom the authorized agency contracts to perform |
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registry services on its behalf, as applicable; and |
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(2) provide the birth parents and adoptive parents |
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with the informational materials described by Subsection (d). |
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SECTION 3. The vital statistics unit of the Department of |
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State Health Services shall make available on its Internet website |
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the informational materials required by Section 162.403(d), Family |
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Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, 2018. |
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SECTION 4. Section 162.403(e), Family Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies beginning with a child for whom an authorized |
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agency is providing adoption services on or after January 1, 2018. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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