Adoption, Life Adventures

Senate Bill 91

The State of Indiana recently passed a bill that allows the release of identifying adoption information to adoptees.

It is called Senate Bill 91.

For over 50 years, the dark “closed records” era of Indiana spanned from 1941-1993. This period banned all adoptees, many being over 75 years old, to see their original birth records.

After July 1, 2018, these adoptees will be able to request this information that might contain their birth names, weight, the time they were born, the hospital of their birth, the names of their birthmother or birthfather, and may contain other medical information and history.

LS 6642
Bill NUMBER: SB 91

Summary of Legislation with Provisions:

(1) Repeals, effective July 1, 2018, provisions applicable to adoptions finalized before January 1, 1994, that prohibit the release of identifying adoption information unless a consent to release the information is on file.

(2) Provides that, beginning July 1, 2018, identifying adoption information may be released unless a nonrelease form is on file, regardless of when the adoption was filed.

(3) Replaces a nonrelease form with a contact preference form.

As a result of this bill, the only way to prevent identifying information from being released to qualifying interested parties for adoptions filed before or after January 1, 1994, is to file a nonrelease form with the Indiana State Department of Health.

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