Pennsylvania Act 2004-148 — DOMESTIC RELATIONS (23 PA.C.S.) - COURT ORDERS RELATING TO ADOPTION RECORDS

Act text

DOMESTIC RELATIONS (23 PA.C.S.) - COURT ORDERS RELATING TO ADOPTION
                                 RECORDS
                 Act of Nov. 23, 2004, P.L. 1154, No. 148             Cl. 23
                             Session of 2004
                               No. 2004-148

     SB 296

                                  AN ACT

     Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
        Consolidated Statutes, further providing for court orders
        relating to adoption records.

        The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     hereby enacts as follows:

        Section 1.  Section 2905(a) of Title 23 of the Pennsylvania
     Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
      § 2905.  Impounding of proceedings and access to records.
        (a)  General rule.--All petitions, exhibits, reports, notes
     of testimony, decrees, and other papers pertaining to any
     proceeding under this part or former statutes relating to
     adoption shall be kept in the files of the court as a permanent
     record thereof and withheld from inspection except on an order
     of court granted upon cause shown or except as otherwise
     provided in this section. In the case of an adult adoptee who is
     assuming a name under section 2904 (relating to name of
     adoptee), an order of court is not required for the court to
     forward to the Pennsylvania State Police documentation in
     accordance with 54 Pa.C.S. § 702 (relating to change by order of
     court). Any report required to be filed under sections 2530
     (relating to home study and preplacement report), 2531 (relating
     to report of intention to adopt) and 2535 (relating to
     investigation) shall be made available to parties to an adoption
     proceeding only after all identifying names and addresses in the
     report have been extirpated by the court.
        * * *
        Section 2.  This act shall take effect immediately.

     APPROVED--The 23rd day of November, A. D. 2004.

     EDWARD G. RENDELL