SB 644 — 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.      656

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 644
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY DUSH, APRIL 21, 2025

     REFERRED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, APRIL 21, 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
19   at birth.] with the following notation: "This is not a certified
 1   copy of a birth record."
 2      * * *
 3      Section 2.         Section 2937(a) and (c) of Title 23 are amended
 4   to read:
 5   § 2937.    Original birth record.
 6      (a)     General rule.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
 7   law, an adoptee who is at least 18 years of age [and who has
 8   graduated from high school, completed a General Educational
 9   Development program or has legally withdrawn from secondary
10   schooling] or, if the adoptee is deceased, the adoptee's
11   descendants, may apply to the Department of Health for the
12   adoptee's noncertified copy of original birth record. Subject to
13   [subsections (b) and (c)] subsection (b), the Department of
14   Health shall issue a noncertified copy of original birth record
15   within 45 days of receipt of an application if the application
16   complies with the requirements of subsection (d).
17      * * *
18      [(c)    Redaction request form.--A birth parent may request
19   that the birth parent's name be redacted from a noncertified
20   copy of original birth record issued to an adoptee in accordance
21   with the following:
22             (1)   The Department of Health shall prescribe a birth
23      parent's name redaction request form. The form shall include
24      all of the following:
25                   (i)    Information about the procedures and
26             requirements for a birth parent to do either of the
27             following:
28                         (A)   Have the form placed in the adoption file of
29                   the adoptee who is the birth child of the birth
30                   parent so that the birth parent's name is redacted

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

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

20250SB0644PN0656                   - 4 -
1               (v)    Any other information the Department of Health
2         considers necessary.
3         (7)   If the birth parent dies after submitting a name
4     redaction request form, a noncertified copy of original birth
5     record may be provided to the adoptee without redaction of
6     the deceased birth parent's name.]
7     * * *
8     Section 3.      This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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