SENATE BILL REPORT
SHB 1452
AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES,
MARCH 26, 1993
Brief Description: Specifying information that must be made available to parties affected by adoption.
SPONSORS: House Committee on Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Riley, Heavey, Brown, Flemming, Karahalios, Cooke, Wineberry, Valle, Romero, Leonard, G. Cole, Mielke, Anderson and Ballard)
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators Talmadge, Chairman; Wojahn, Vice Chairman; Deccio, Erwin, Franklin, McAuliffe, Moyer, Prentice, Quigley, Sheldon, L. Smith, and Winsley.
Staff: Richard Rodger (786‑7461)
Hearing Dates: March 25, 1993; March 26, 1993
BACKGROUND:
People adopting children receive written information on adoption related services. Agencies and individuals who facilitate adoptions are required to provide family background information on the adoptive child to the adoptive parent. The reports cannot reveal the identity of the birth parent. Agencies and individuals involved in adoptions have requested a uniform definition of information which may be released.
SUMMARY:
The types of nonidentifying information which can be provided to adoptive parents when they adopt a child are enumerated. The Department of Health is required to provide a noncertified copy of the original birth certificate to the adoptee, after the adoptee's 18th birthday, unless the birth parent has signed an affidavit of nondisclosure. The affidavit applies to adoptions finalized after October 1, 1993.
Appropriation: none
Revenue: none
Fiscal Note: available
TESTIMONY FOR:
Agencies and individuals involved in adoptions need a uniform definition of nonidentifying information when providing adoptive parents with information on the adoptive child.
TESTIMONY AGAINST: None
TESTIFIED: Representative Riley, prime sponsor; Laurie Lippold, Children's Home Society; Karole VandenBos; Julie Jacobson