Senate Bill No. 1501, also known as Public Act No. 25-48, introduces several amendments to the operations of Probate Courts in Connecticut, focusing on streamlining processes related to birth certificates, appeals, and adoption matters. A key change allows parents or legal guardians to petition the Probate Court for the creation and filing of a birth certificate when a birth occurs outside of an institution, replacing the previous requirement for petitions to be made to the court of probate. The bill also introduces genetic testing to establish parentage, with costs borne by the petitioner unless they are indigent. Additionally, the notification timeline for complainants and respondents regarding the termination of investigations is extended from seven to fifteen business days, and the bill clarifies the conditions under which orders or decrees can be reconsidered, modified, or revoked.

Further amendments include the requirement for the Probate Court to transcribe untranscribed portions of appeal proceedings, with costs covered by the Probate Court Administrator for those unable to afford them. The bill also updates the notification process for involuntary representation cases and repeals outdated provisions regarding personal service. In terms of adoption, it mandates that applications include a declaration of any pending custody proceedings and requires the Probate Court to request a report on the child's status from the Commissioner of Children and Families or a child-placing agency. The bill emphasizes that adoption cannot be disapproved based solely on the adoptive parent's marital status or differences in race, color, or religion. Lastly, it establishes a working group to study conservatorship issues and allows tort claims against an estate to proceed in Superior Court under specific conditions, limiting recovery to insurance policy limits. Throughout the bill, references to "Court of Probate" are replaced with "Probate Court" for clarity.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
JUD Joint Favorable:
File No. 741:
Public Act No. 25-48: