IC 31-19-25
    Chapter 25. Release of Identifying Information for AdoptionsFiled After December 31, 1993; Requests for InformationConcerning Pre-Adoptive Siblings

IC 31-19-25-1
Application of chapter
    Sec. 1. This chapter applies to adoptions that are filed afterDecember 31, 1993.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.

IC 31-19-25-2
Access to information by adoptee
    Sec. 2. (a) An adoptee who is at least twenty-one (21) years of agemay request identifying information by submitting a written requestto the state registrar.
    (b) Except as provided in sections 3 through 10 of this chapter,upon a request for the release of identifying information undersubsection (a):
        (1) the state registrar;
        (2) the department;
        (3) a county office of family and children;
        (4) a licensed child placing agency;
        (5) a professional health care provider (as defined inIC 34-6-2-117);
        (6) the attorney who arranged the adoption; and
        (7) a court;
shall release identifying information in the possession of theregistrar, agency, professional health care provider, or court to anadoptee.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11. Amended by P.L.1-1998, SEC.165;P.L.145-2006, SEC.260.

IC 31-19-25-3
Nonrelease form; filing; duration; withdrawal; effect of consent
    Sec. 3. (a) An adoptee's birth parent may restrict access toidentifying information concerning the birth parent by filing a writtennonrelease form with the state registrar that evidences the birthparent's lack of consent to the release of identifying informationunder this section.
    (b) The following persons may not release any identifyinginformation concerning the birth parent to the adoptee if a nonreleaseform is in effect at the time of the request for identifyinginformation:
        (1) The state registrar.
        (2) The department.
        (3) A county office of family and children.
        (4) A licensed child placing agency.
        (5) A professional health care provider.
        (6) A court.    (c) The nonrelease form filed under this section:
        (1) remains in effect during the period indicated by the personsubmitting the form;
        (2) is renewable; and
        (3) may be withdrawn at any time by the person who submittedthe form.
    (d) The nonrelease form is no longer in effect if the birth parentconsents in writing to the release of identifying information and hasnot withdrawn that consent.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11. Amended by P.L.145-2006,SEC.261; P.L.58-2009, SEC.30.

IC 31-19-25-4
Nonrelease form; contents
    Sec. 4. The state registrar shall prescribe the nonrelease formdescribed in section 3 of this chapter. In prescribing the nonreleaseform, the state registrar shall devise the form in a manner thatindicates that the birth parent's lack of consent to the release ofidentifying information is to remain in effect for the time indicatedby the birth parent. The form must:
        (1) contain a space in which the birth parent may check "yes" or"no" concerning whether the person submitting the form desiresthe state registrar to send notice to the birth parent's most recentaddress at the time that the form lapses in cases in which thebirth parent has not chosen to prevent the nonrelease form fromlapsing; and
        (2) indicate that the birth parent may choose to prevent thenonrelease form from lapsing.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.

IC 31-19-25-5
Notice before lapse of nonrelease form
    Sec. 5. Except as provided under section 4 of this chapter, thestate registrar shall mail a notice to a birth parent who submits anonrelease form under section 3 of this chapter within ninety (90)days before the birth parent's nonrelease form lapses. The notice:
        (1) shall be mailed to the most recent address of the birth parentthat has been supplied to the state registrar; and
        (2) must indicate:
            (A) the date upon which the form is to lapse; and
            (B) that the nonrelease form is renewable.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.

IC 31-19-25-6
Request to be reunited with pre-adoptive sibling
    Sec. 6. An adoptee who is at least twenty-one (21) years of age ora pre-adoptive sibling who is at least twenty-one (21) years of agemay submit a written request to the state registrar:
        (1) stating an interest in being reunited with any pre-adoptivesiblings; and        (2) authorizing the state registrar to release the name andpresent location of the person submitting the request to anypre-adoptive siblings who make similar inquiries.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.

IC 31-19-25-7
Release of information concerning pre-adoptive siblings
    Sec. 7. (a) If:
        (1) an adoptee who is at least twenty-one (21) years of age; or
        (2) a pre-adoptive sibling who is at least twenty-one (21) yearsof age;
expresses a desire to be reunited with a pre-adoptive sibling undersection 6 of this chapter, the state registrar shall determine whetherthe requesting person's pre-adoptive sibling has made a similarinquiry.
    (b) If the pre-adoptive sibling has previously authorized a releaseof information concerning the sibling's identity under section 6 ofthis chapter, the state registrar shall release the pre-adoptive sibling'sname and present location to each requesting person.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.

IC 31-19-25-8
Duties of registrar following request to be reunited withpre-adoptive sibling
    Sec. 8. (a) If an adoptee who is at least twenty-one (21) years ofage or a pre-adoptive sibling who is at least twenty-one (21) years ofage submits a written request to be reunited with a pre-adoptivesibling under section 6 of this chapter but the pre-adoptive siblinghas not made a similar inquiry, the state registrar shall:
        (1) search the sealed adoption records for informationconcerning the pre-adoptive sibling; and
        (2) if possible, contact and advise the sibling of the requestunless the sibling is less than twenty-one (21) years of age.
    (b) If the state registrar locates a sibling who is at least twenty-one(21) years of age, the contacted sibling shall make the final decisionas to whether to release the sibling's name and present location to therequesting person.
    (c) If the state registrar locates a sibling who is less thantwenty-one (21) years of age, the state registrar shall contact the:
        (1) sibling's birth parents if the sibling has not been adopted; or
        (2) sibling's adoptive parents if the sibling has been adopted;
for the final determination regarding release of the sibling's name andpresent location to the requesting person.
    (d) The state registrar shall notify the requesting person whenevera sibling has been located, but may not release information about thesibling's identity or present location without authorization under thissection.
    (e) If the sibling is deceased or cannot be identified or locatedunder this section, the state registrar shall notify the requesting party,but may not release any information that would tend to identify the

sibling.
    (f) In an attempt to discover the identity and present location of apre-adoptive sibling, the state registrar shall receive, upon request,any available adoptive information regarding the sibling's identity orlocation that is in the possession of any of the following:
        (1) The state division of vital records.
        (2) The county office of family and children.
        (3) A licensed child placing agency.
        (4) A professional health care provider (as defined inIC 34-6-2-117).
        (5) The department.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11. Amended by P.L.1-1998, SEC.166;P.L.145-2006, SEC.262.

IC 31-19-25-9
Request by adoptive parents for information concerningpre-adoptive siblings
    Sec. 9. (a) The adoptive parents of an adoptee who is less thantwenty-one (21) years of age may submit a written request forinformation concerning the identity and present location of anypre-adoptive siblings of the adoptee.
    (b) The state registrar shall release information concerning thename and present location of the pre-adoptive sibling to the adoptiveparents if the pre-adoptive sibling submitted a written requestauthorizing the release of the information under section 6 of thischapter.
    (c) If a mutual inquiry has not been made under section 6 of thischapter, the state registrar shall do the following:
        (1) Perform the duties described by section 8 of this chapter.
        (2) Release information to the adoptive parents only to theextent that information may be released to a requesting personunder section 8 of this chapter.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.

IC 31-19-25-10
Withdrawal of request or consent
    Sec. 10. A request or consent submitted under section 6, 8, or 9 ofthis chapter may be withdrawn in a signed writing.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.

IC 31-19-25-11
Storage and indexing of requests and nonrelease forms
    Sec. 11. The state registrar shall provide for the storage andindexing of requests and nonrelease forms under this chapter.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.

IC 31-19-25-12
Errors in execution of forms
    Sec. 12. The state registrar may contact a person who submits arequest form or nonrelease form that is incorrectly or incompletely

executed to inform the person regarding the error in the execution ofthe form.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.

IC 31-19-25-13
Fee for expenses
    Sec. 13. (a) The following persons may charge a reasonable feefor actual expenses incurred in complying with this chapter:
        (1) A licensed child placing agency.
        (2) The court.
        (3) The department.
        (4) A county office of family and children.
        (5) A professional health care provider.
        (6) The state department of health, except as provided insubsection (b).
    (b) The state department of health may not charge a fee for filinga nonrelease form under this chapter.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11. Amended by P.L.145-2006,SEC.263.

IC 31-19-25-14
Rules; forms
    Sec. 14. The state registrar:
        (1) may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2; and
        (2) shall prescribe any forms necessary;
to implement this chapter.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.