| State |
Statutory Reference |
Other Information
|
|
Alaska
|
Alaska Stat. § 18.50.500.
|
There is a passive registry for
birth parents to waive
confidentiality.
|
| Arkansas |
Ark. Stat. Ann. §§ 9-9-217, 9-9-503. |
All records pertaining to an adoption shall be sealed and may not be disclosed except upon court order for good cause shown. A mutual consent registry is available to permit adult adoptees and biological parents to disclose identifying information.
|
| California |
Cal. Fam. Code §9204; Fam.
Code §§ 8823, 8911, 9007. |
A non-centralized mutual
consent registry is available to
permit adult adoptees over the
age of 21, biological parents,
and siblings to disclose
identifying information.
|
| Connecticut |
Conn. Gen. Rev. State. Ann. §§
45a-744 to 45a-754. |
A mutual consent registry is
available for Connecticut
agencies only. A "search and
consent" procedure is available
to facilitate the disclosure of
identities to consenting adult
adoptees and biological parents |
| Florida |
Fla. Stat. Ann. § 63.162(a); Fla.
Stat. Ann. Public Health §
382.51. |
Identifying information may be
obtained upon the
acknowledged consent of the
biological parents and the adult
adoptee; or upon the
acknowledged consent of the
biological parents and the
adoptive parents of an adoptee
under 18. A mutual consent
registry procedure is available to
permit consensual release of
identities. |
| Idaho |
Idaho Code § 39-259A; § 16-
511. All records are confidential
except when a qualified adult
adoptee has presented a
consent regarding the release of
identifying information. Birth
parents may also consent to the
release of such information
about themselves. Consents
are handled through a mutual
consent registry. |
All records are confidential
except when a qualified adult
adoptee has presented a
consent regarding the release of
identifying information. Birth
parents may also consent to the
release of such information
about themselves. Consents
are handled through a mutual
consent registry.
|
| Illinois |
Ill. Ann. Stat. Ch. 40 §§ 1522,
1522.1, 1522.3a. |
A mutual consent registry is
available to facilitate disclosure
of identities to consenting adult
parties. There is a "confidential
intermediary service" to assist
adoptees over the age of 18 in
locating biological relatives and
ascertaining whether they are
willing to consent to the release
of their names or have personal
contact with one another. |
| Iowa |
Iowa Code Ann. §§ 600.16,
600.16A, 600.8. |
All records pertaining to an
adoption shall be sealed and
may not be disclosed except
upon court order for good cause
shown. An adoptee whose
adoption became final before
July 4, 1941 and whose
adoption record was not
required to be sealed is exempt
from the requirement of a good
cause showing for access to
identifying information; but the
court shall consider any affidavit
filed by a birth parent requesting
that the parent's name be
revealed or not revealed.
|
| Louisiana |
La. Ch. Code Art. § 1270. |
Upon mutual consent, adoptees
over 18, biological parents, and
siblings may learn each other's
identity through a mutual
consent registry procedure.
|
| Maine |
Me. Rev. State. Ann. Tit. 22 §
2706-A. |
Upon their mutual consent, adult
adoptees and biological parents
may learn each other's identities
through a mutual consent
registry procedure. |
| Maryland |
Md. Fam. Code Ann. §5-329,
§5-4A-02 et seq. |
Upon mutual consent, adult
adoptees over 21, biological
parents and adult siblings may
learn each other's identities
through a mutual consent
registry procedure. |
| Massachusetts |
Mass. Ann. Law Ch. 210 §§ 5C,
5D. |
Upon their mutual consent,
adoptees over 18, biological
parents, and adoptive parents of
a child who is still a minor may
learn each other's identities
through a mutual consent
registry procedure. |
| Michigan |
Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. §§
710.68, 710.27 |
Upon their mutual consent, adult
adoptees, biological parents and
adult siblings may learn each
other's identities through a
mutual consent registryprocedure. There is a
"confidential intermediary"procedure for facilitating the
consensual access to identifying
information by members of birth
and adoptive families.
|
| Nevada |
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 127.140 |
All records pertaining to
adoption shall be sealed and
may not be disclosed, except
upon court order for good
cause. There is a voluntary
adoption registry for disclosure
of identifying information. |
| New Mexico |
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 32-5-40. |
Records are to be withheld from
public inspection and are only
open to inspection by the former
parent [if the adoptee is 18 or
older], by the adoptee if he/she
is 18 or older, by the adoptive
parent if the adoptee is under
18, by the attorney of any party,
and by the agency that
exercised guardianship over the
adoptee. Unless the former
parents and the adoptee have
consented, only nonidentifying
information may be released,
unless the court orders the
release of identifying information
for good cause shown. |
| New York |
N.Y. Pub. Health Code § 4138b. |
A mutual consent registry exists
with detailed procedures
governing public and private
agencies. The registry system
is intended to facilitate
disclosure of identifying
information to consenting adult
adoptees over 21 and biological
parents. The registry only
contains the names and
addresses of registrants. |
| Ohio |
Ohio Rev. Code
Ann. §§ 3107.17, 3107.121,
3107.40 |
A non-centralized mutual
consent registry is available to
facilitate disclosure of identifying
information to consenting adult
adoptees, biological parents,
and siblings. |
| Oklahoma |
Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 10 § 60.17. |
All records, including medical,
are confidential and withheld
from inspection except upon
court order for good cause.
There is a mutual consent
registry for Oklahoma state
agency only. |
| Rhode Island |
R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-10-21. |
All records pertaining to
adoption shall be sealed and
may not be disclosed, except
upon court order for good cause
or compelling circumstances.
There is a mutual consent
registry for release of identifying
information. |
| South Carolina |
S.C. Code Ann. § 20-7-1780. |
Upon mutual consent, adult
adoptees and biological parents
may learn each other's identities
through a mutual consent
registry procedure. |
| South Dakota |
S. D. Codified Laws Ann. §§ 25-
6-15.2 to -15.3. |
Upon mutual consent, adult
adoptees and biological parents
may learn each other's identities
through a mutual consent
registry procedure. |
| Texas |
Tex. Fam. Code Ann. §§ 11.2
and 16.031. |
There is a non-centralized
mutual consent registry through
which adoptees, parents, and
biological siblings may
voluntarily locate one another. |
| Utah |
Utah Code Ann. § 78-30-18. |
There is a mutual consent
registry. Adult adoptees and
biological parents may request
identifying information from the
bureau. Identifying information
may be released when both the
adoptee and biological parent
request it. The information is
available only to the adoptee,
biological parents or registered
adult sibling. |
| West Virginia |
W. Va. Code § 48-4A08. |
There is a mutual consent
registry system to facilitate the
consensual disclosure of
identifying information. |
