Bill Text: TX SB2009 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to access to certain information in the adoption process.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-05-15 - Referred to Human Services [SB2009 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SB2009-Engrossed.html
| By: Sparks | S.B. No. 2009 | |
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| relating to access to certain information in the adoption process. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Sections 162.005(b) and (c), Family Code, are | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| (b) Before placing a child for adoption, the Department of | ||
| Family and Protective Services, a licensed child-placing agency, or | ||
| the child's parent or guardian shall compile a report on the | ||
| available health, social, educational, and genetic history of the | ||
| child to be adopted and distribute the report as required by this | ||
| chapter. | ||
| (c) The department shall ensure that each licensed | ||
| child-placing agency, single source continuum contractor, or other | ||
| person placing a child for adoption receives a copy of any portion | ||
| of the report prepared by the department not later than the 30th day | ||
| after the date the child's permanency plan is changed to include | ||
| adoption. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 162.0062, Family Code, is amended by | ||
| amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (a-2) and (a-3) to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| (a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the prospective | ||
| adoptive parents of a child are entitled to examine the records and | ||
| other information relating to the history of the child, including | ||
| confidential information other than the identity of the biological | ||
| parents and any other person whose identity is confidential. The | ||
| Department of Family and Protective Services, licensed | ||
| child-placing agency, or other person placing a child for adoption | ||
| shall inform the prospective adoptive parents of their right to | ||
| examine the records and other information relating to the history | ||
| of the child. The department, licensed child-placing agency, or | ||
| other person placing the child for adoption shall: | ||
| (1) redact each social security number from the | ||
| records and information; and | ||
| (2) edit the records and information to protect the | ||
| identity of the biological parents, any biological siblings adopted | ||
| by a different family, the adoptive parents of those biological | ||
| siblings, any person who made a report of abuse or neglect to the | ||
| department or a law enforcement agency, and any [ |
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| whose identity is confidential under Section 262.308. | ||
| (a-2) A prospective adoptive parent must sign a | ||
| nondisclosure agreement before the department, licensed | ||
| child-placing agency, or other person placing the child for | ||
| adoption may release confidential information under this section. | ||
| (a-3) The department, licensed child-placing agency, or | ||
| other person placing the child for adoption shall provide the | ||
| information under this section not later than the 90th day after the | ||
| date the information is requested. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
