Texas Register, Volume 8, Number 81, Pages 4521-4626, November 4, 1983 Page: 4,564
4521-4626 p. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The 68th Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1174
which establishes requirements for adoption registries
through which adoptees, birth parents, and biological
siblings may voluntarily locate each other This legisla-
tion amended the Human Resources Code by adding
Chapter 49 under Title 2, Subtitle D Any agency or
entity authorized to place children for adoption may
operate an adoption registry if they do so by January
1, 1984. The department will establish and maintain
a central adoption registry and a central index.
Through the central adoption registry, the department
performs registry services for persons who are not
registered with another registry Through the central
index, the department identifies the appropriate
registry through which adoptees and birth parents may
register The Special Services Division in the depart-
ment's state office is responsible for maintaining both
the central adoption registry and the central index.
Registrants will be charged a fee for inquiry and
registry services and may be charged a fee for counsel-
ing services.
Robert Halfmann, Budget and Planning Division ad-
ministrator, has determined that for the first five year
period the rules will be in effect there will be fiscal im-
plications as a result of enforcing or administering the
rules. The cost to the state will be $24,100 for fiscal
year 1984, $20,474 for fiscal year 1985, $21,821
for fiscal year 1986, $22,598 for fiscal year 1987,
and $23,406 for fiscal year 1988 There is no fiscal
impact for units of local government.
Mr. Halfmann has also determined that for each year
of the first five years the rules as proposed are in ef-
fect the public benefit anticipated as a result of en-
forcing th' rules will be the establishment of a cen-
tral voluntary registry through which adoptees, birth
parents, and biological siblings may locate each other
and a central index through which the department can
identify the appropriate registry where the applicant
can register as provided in state law.
The anticipated economic cost to individuals who are
required to comply with the rules as proposed is
$91,767 for fiscal year 1984, and $137,650 for each
fiscal year 1985-1988.
Comments may be sent to Susan L. Johnson, Ad-
ministrator, Policy Development Support Division-575,
P.O. Box 2960, Austin, Texas 78769.
The rules are proposed under the Human Resources
Code, Title 2, Chapter 49, which requires the depart-
ment to establish rules governing the adoption
registry.
71.21. Other Registries.
(a) An agency or entity authorized by the depart-
ment to place children for adoption must comply with
the provisions stipulated in the Human Resources Code,
Title 2, Subtitle D, Chapter 49, regarding adoption
registries.
(b) An authorized agency or entity that does not
directly or by contract provide registry services by January
1, 1984, as required by Chapter 49, may not do so. These
agencies must send to the department a report of all adop-tions of minors placed by the agency before January 1,
1984. The report must be sent to the Special Services Divi-
sion in the department's state office no later than April
I, 1984, on a form supplied by that division.
71.22. Court Requirements.
(a) In complying with the Human Resources Code,
Title 2, Subtitle D, 49.005, the clerk of the court in which
an adoption is granted must send to the department a
report on all adoptions granted on or after January I,
1984. The clerk must send the report to the Special Ser-
s ices Disision in the department's state office on a form
supplied by that division. Tne form must be sent by the
10th day of the month after the month the adoption is
granted
(b) When the clerk of the court collects the $15 fee
as required by Texas Civil Statutes, Article 3927c, he must
send the fee to the Texas Department of Human Re-
sources, Fiscal Division, P.O. Box 730, Austin, Texas
78767.
71.23. Inquiry through the Central inder. The
department charges $5.00 to persons who inquire with
the central inde\ to determine the appropriate registry.
The person may send the inquiry and the $5.00 inquiry
fee to the Texas Department of Human Resources, P.O.
Box 730, Austin, Texas 78767, or he may inquire in per-
son with the Special Ser\ ices Division in the department's
state office.
71.24. Registratton in the Central Adoption
Regtsty. To register with the central adoption registry,
a person must:
(I) complete a registration application form;
(2) ploide proof of his identity such as a copy
of the birth certificate, a driver's license, the adoption
decree, or a notarized statement signed by the registrant
and one adoptive parent;
(3) meet the eligibility requirements for registra-
tion as stipulated in the Human Resources Code, Title
2. Subtitle D. 49.006;
(4) not be required to register \with another
registry
(5) pay a registration fee determined by the
department. The fee is $15 or a larger amount if specified
by the General Appropriations Act. The fee may be
waied if the person is unable to pay it; and
(6) complete one hour of counseling w ith a social
w or ker of a mental health professional. The counselor
must provide the department sith a certificate verifying
that the counseling was completed.
71.25. Notification of a Match and Reqirements for
Release. If the depar tment is able to match a registrant
with another registered relative, each registrant is notified
in w riding that a match exists and that the registrant may
withdraw his registration within 30 da.s after being no-
tified. The registrant must sign a written consent to
disclosure before identifying information is released to
him.
71.26. Release. The department releases identifying
information to registrants who have not withdraw n their
registrations and who hase consented to disclosure in
writing.8 TexReg 4564 November 4, 1983
Texas
Register__
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Texas. Secretary of State. Texas Register, Volume 8, Number 81, Pages 4521-4626, November 4, 1983, periodical, November 4, 1983; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth244537/m1/44/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.