88R19018 BHH-D
 
  By: LaMantia S.R. No. 320
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, Allied organizations are gathering at the State
  Capitol on March 21, 2023, to advocate for the right of adopted
  adults to access their original birth certificates; and
         WHEREAS, Under current Texas law, a child's original birth
  certificate is sealed when he or she is adopted; at the age of 18,
  adoptees may apply for their birth certificate, and if they know the
  identity of the parents named on that document, the vital
  statistics unit must release a noncertified copy; however, adoptees
  who do not know the names of their birth parents are required to
  petition for access in court in the county that granted the
  adoption, showing "good cause," a term that the law does not define;
  and
         WHEREAS, Concealment of true parentage is an unfortunate
  vestige of another era; barriers to obtaining the original birth
  certificate deprive adoptees of vital information about their
  personal identity, and the lack of transparency denies family
  medical histories that could indicate the nature of health issues
  or warn of the need for preventative care; the right to such
  information is broadly understood, and a 2021 poll by Baselice &
  Associates showed that 77 percent of Texans believe that adult
  adoptees should have the same access to their original birth
  certificates that all other adult Texans have; and
         WHEREAS, Dedicated to ending the inequitable treatment of
  adult adoptees who do not know the identity of their birth parents,
  allied groups are registering their support of House Bill 2006; the
  bill grants all adult adoptees the right to access their original
  birth certificates, and it incorporates provisions that represent
  the interests of adult adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive
  parents alike; and
         WHEREAS, Over the years, the inability to access an original
  birth certificate has been the source of much heartbreak and
  confusion, and the organizations and individuals working
  tirelessly for a solution have demonstrated a commendable
  commitment to honesty, justice, and equality for adult adoptees;
  now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature
  hereby recognize March 21, 2023, as Texas Adoptee Rights Day at the
  State Capitol.