HB 536 — An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in decrees and records, further providing for definitions and for original birth record.

PRINTER'S NO.      529

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 536
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY PROBST, HILL-EVANS, SANCHEZ, GIRAL, KHAN, OTTEN,
        DALEY, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, STEELE AND GREEN, FEBRUARY 10, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, FEBRUARY 10, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in decrees and records, further
 3      providing for definitions and for original birth record.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.    The definition of "noncertified copy of original
 7   birth record" in section 2911 of Title 23 of the Pennsylvania
 8   Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
 9   § 2911.    Definitions.
10      The following words and phrases when used in this subchapter
11   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12   context clearly indicates otherwise:
13      * * *
14      "Noncertified copy of original birth record."       A [summary]
15   photocopy of original birth record[, similar in form to a
16   certified copy of an original birth record and consisting of
17   only the names and ages of the birth parents, the date and
18   county of the birth of the child and the name given to the child
 1   at birth.] with the following notation: "This is not a certified
 2   copy of a birth record."
 3      * * *
 4      Section 2.         Section 2937(a) and (c) of Title 23 are amended
 5   to read:
 6   § 2937.    Original birth record.
 7      (a)     General rule.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
 8   law, an adoptee who is at least 18 years of age [and who has
 9   graduated from high school, completed a General Educational
10   Development program or has legally withdrawn from secondary
11   schooling] or, if the adoptee is deceased, the adoptee's
12   descendants, may apply to the Department of Health for the
13   adoptee's noncertified copy of original birth record. Subject to
14   [subsections (b) and (c)] subsection (b), the Department of
15   Health shall issue a noncertified copy of original birth record
16   within 45 days of receipt of an application if the application
17   complies with the requirements of subsection (d).
18      * * *
19      [(c)    Redaction request form.--A birth parent may request
20   that the birth parent's name be redacted from a noncertified
21   copy of original birth record issued to an adoptee in accordance
22   with the following:
23             (1)   The Department of Health shall prescribe a birth
24      parent's name redaction request form. The form shall include
25      all of the following:
26                   (i)    Information about the procedures and
27             requirements for a birth parent to do either of the
28             following:
29                         (A)   Have the form placed in the adoption file of
30                   the adoptee who is the birth child of the birth

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 1              parent so that the birth parent's name is redacted
 2              from the noncertified copy of original birth record
 3              issued to the adoptee.
 4                     (B)   Have the form removed from the adoption file
 5              of the adoptee if the birth parent later decides to
 6              permit the birth parent's name to be included on the
 7              noncertified copy of original birth record.
 8              (ii)    Provisions necessary for the Department of
 9        Health to be able to identify the adoption file of the
10        adoptee to whom the form pertains.
11              (iii)    A place for the birth parent to attest that
12        the birth parent is the birth parent of the adoptee to
13        whom the form pertains.
14        (2)   The Department of Health shall make a birth parent's
15    name redaction request form available upon request following
16    the effective date of this subsection. The Department of
17    Health shall accept a name redaction request form if all of
18    the following apply:
19              (i)    The form has been notarized.
20              (ii)    The birth parent provides two items of
21        identification of the birth parent.
22              (iii)    If a medical history for the birth parent was
23        not previously prepared, or the medical history was
24        prepared but needs to be updated, the birth parent does
25        the following, as appropriate:
26                     (A)   Completes a medical history form.
27                     (B)   Updates the birth parent's medical history
28              information.
29              (iv)    The Department of Health is satisfied that the
30        form has been substantially completed.

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 1        (3)   The Department of Health shall file an accepted name
 2    redaction request form in the adoption file of the adoptee to
 3    whom the form pertains.
 4        (4)   A birth parent may request at any time that the
 5    Department of Health remove the name redaction request form
 6    from the adoption file of the adoptee to whom the form
 7    pertains. The Department of Health shall remove the form if
 8    the birth parent provides the department all of the
 9    following:
10              (i)    Two items of identification of the birth parent.
11              (ii)    Information the Department of Health needs to
12        be able to identify the adoption file of the adoptee to
13        whom the form pertains.
14              (iii)    A notarized attestation that the birth parent
15        is the birth parent of the adoptee to whom the form
16        pertains.
17        (5)   A name redaction request form removed from an
18    adoption file shall be destroyed.
19        (6)   The Department of Health shall include on its
20    Internet website information about birth parents' name
21    redaction request forms. All of the following information
22    shall be provided:
23              (i)    The purpose of the form.
24              (ii)    The procedures to be followed and requirements
25        to be met for the Department of Health to accept the
26        form.
27              (iii)    The date when birth parents may begin to file
28        the form with the Department of Health.
29              (iv)    The procedures to be followed and requirements
30        to be met for having the form removed from an adoption

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1         file.
2               (v)    Any other information the Department of Health
3         considers necessary.
4         (7)   If the birth parent dies after submitting a name
5     redaction request form, a noncertified copy of original birth
6     record may be provided to the adoptee without redaction of
7     the deceased birth parent's name.]
8     * * *
9     Section 3.      This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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