For amend and vote only, the Senate Civil Law Committee heard HB 1274, sponsored by Sen. Bray, on access to identifying information. This bill requires the state registrar to search death certificates in the state registrar’s possession and the State and Territorial Exchange of Vital Events (STEVE) Exchange System if an eligible individual submits a request for the release of identifying information of a birth parent or adoptee. Current law requires the state registrar to search death certificates in the state registrar’s possession. It also provides, with exceptions under current law, that a consent of an adoptee or birth parent is not required if the individual requesting the identifying information submits records from the STEVE system indicating that the adoptee or birth parent is deceased. Allows the state registrar to charge a reasonable fee to search the STEVE system.
The bill was amended by consent to remove the sunset provisions. The amended bill passed 7-0.
Read the bill at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2017/bills/house/1274