Date: 04/29/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB15-1355

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer House Bill 15-1355 to the Committee of the WPASS



12:09 PM -- HB 15-1355

Senator Marble and Senator Newell presented House Bill 15-1355, concerning family history access to birth and personal records. The bill allows an adult adoptee to obtain direct access to a non-certified copy of an unaltered original birth certificate and the amended birth certificate of an adult sibling or half-sibling who was born, relinquished, or adopted in Colorado. To have access to these documents, the adult adoptee must show proof of at least one common birth parent between him or herself and a sibling or half-sibling. Further, access to these documents is subject to the existing statutory restriction that all siblings adopted in a sibling group must reach the age of 18 before the birth certificates may be released. A descendant or legal representative of an adult adoptee is also eligible to request these documents. The bill also allows direct access to certain unredacted personal records pertaining to a person who was a minor child in the custody of the State Home for Dependent and Neglected Children, regardless of his or her adoption status, to the former ward. Access to these records is given to the former wards in the state home, their spouses, siblings, descendants, and legal representatives. Covered personal records include those relating to the custody, relinquishment, or adoption of a former ward, including personally identifying information about the parents of the ward. Pre-relinquishment counseling records will remain confidential. The bill applies to records held by a court, state agency, or the legal representative of a court or state agency. Licensed child placement agencies are not included as a custodian of records under the bill.


12:11 PM -- Rich Uhrlaub, Adoptees in Search, testified in support of the bill.


12:11 PM

Senator Marble and Senator Newell made closing comments.



BILL:HB15-1355
TIME: 12:12:30 PM
MOVED:Newell
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1355 to the Committee of the Whole with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed on a vote of 5-0.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Aguilar
Yes
Martinez Humenik
Yes
Newell
Yes
Crowder
Yes
Lundberg
Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS