Under present law, adoption records, court reports, and other information concerning the placement of a person for adoption are placed and remain under seal, with few exceptions, and are made confidential:
(1) After the entry of the final order of adoption; or
(2) After entry of the final order dismissing the adoption.
This bill removes the requirement to seal records after entry of the final order dismissing the adoption.
Upon entry of an order of adoption or dismissal of a petition for adoption, present law requires the clerk of the court where the adoption proceeding was initiated or filed to forward a certified copy of the order to the adoptions unit in the state office of the department in Nashville. This bill replaces such requirement. Under this bill, upon entry of an order granting adoption, the clerk of the court where the adoption proceeding was initiated or filed is required to forward a certified copy of the order to the adoptions unit for:
(1) Children not in the custody of the department of children's services; or
(2) Children in the custody of the department, upon the department's request.
Present law requires that sealed adoption records are stored with the division of records management of the department of state. This bill requires that sealed records stored on or after July 1, 2023, are stored by the department of children's services.
This bill makes a technical clarification concerning the form of an allegation of abuse in a proceeding to terminate parental or guardianship rights.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 36-1-113(g)(3)(A), 36-1-113, 36-1-126, 36-1-102(1)(A)(ii)(a), 36-1-102