Access by a birth parent whose parental rights have been terminated in this state to identifying information about his or her child and access to medical and genetic information about such a birth parent. (FE)

This bill requires DCF to disclose the identity of a birth parent who is known to be deceased, including the requester's original birth certificate if both parents are deceased or if one parent is deceased and the other has an affidavit on file authorizing the release of the original birth certificate.

Current law does not include a comparable procedure under which a birth parent, or a person who may be a biological parent and whose parental rights to a person have been terminated (possible parent), may obtain identifying information about a person who was, or may have been, his or her child. This bill establishes such a procedure.

Specifically, the bill: 1) permits any person 18 years of age or over whose birth parent's or possible parent's parental rights have been terminated in this state to file with DCF an affidavit authorizing DCF to provide the birth parent or possible parent with any available information about the identity and location of the person; 2) permits any birth parent or possible parent whose parental rights have been terminated in this state to request DCF to provide the birth parent or possible parent with any available information about the identity and location of any person 18 years of age or over who was, or may have been, his or her child; and 3) requires DCF to disclose the requested information if DCF has on file an unrevoked affidavit authorizing that disclosure. In disclosing that information, DCF may not disclose any information that would reveal the identity or location of a birth parent or possible parent other than the birth parent or possible parent requesting the information.

Access to medical and genetic information Under current law, any birth parent whose parental rights have been terminated in this state may file with DCF any relevant medical or genetic information about the birth parent or his or her child and DCF must disclose that information on the request of the child, if 18 years of age or over; the adoptive parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the child; any offspring of the child, if 18 years of age or over; or any agency or social worker who is providing services to the child. If DCF does not have that information on file, the requester may request DCF to conduct a search for the birth parents to obtain that information. Such a request must be accompanied by a statement from a physician certifying either that the child has or may have acquired a genetically transferable disease or that the child's medical condition requires access to the information (physician's statement).

This bill eliminates the requirement that a birth parent search request be accompanied by a physician's statement. The bill also permits the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of an offspring of a person whose birth parent's parental rights have been terminated in this state to request medical and genetic information about that person or his or her birth parents if that person is deceased and the offspring is under 18 years of age.