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                                                      PRINTER'S NO. 1332

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 1102 Session of 2007


        INTRODUCED BY GRUCELA, DERMODY, FREEMAN, FABRIZIO, COX, DALLY,
           DENLINGER, CAPPELLI, CLYMER, HARRIS, HENNESSEY, JAMES,
           JOSEPHS, W. KELLER, KORTZ, R. MILLER, MURT, PARKER, PETRI,
           PETRONE, SCAVELLO, SOLOBAY, STERN, WOJNAROSKI AND YOUNGBLOOD,
           APRIL 18, 2007

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, APRIL 18, 2007

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania
     2     Consolidated Statutes, further providing for contents of
     3     petitions for adoption; and providing for adoption
     4     statistics.

     5     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
     6  hereby enacts as follows:
     7     Section 1.  Section 2701 of Title 23 of the Pennsylvania
     8  Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a paragraph to read:
     9  § 2701.  Contents of petition for adoption.
    10     A petition for adoption shall set forth:
    11         * * *
    12         (10)  A statement that the adoption data form under
    13     section 2911(d) (relating to adoption statistics) has been
    14     completed to the fullest extent possible.
    15     Section 2.  Title 23 is amended by adding a section to read:
    16  § 2911.  Adoption statistics.
    17     (a)  Data collection and reporting.--In order to develop more


     1  reliable Statewide and county data on adoptions and adoption
     2  practices and to improve the analysis of trends and issues in
     3  adoptions, the Department of Health shall provide for Statewide
     4  collection and reporting of nonidentifying, statistical
     5  information regarding adoptions.
     6     (b)  Data.--On a monthly basis, the clerk of court, in
     7  cooperation with the agency or intermediary that facilitated the
     8  adoption or, if there is no agency or intermediary, with counsel
     9  for the adoptive parent, shall forward to the Department of
    10  Health the following:
    11         (1)  A completed form under subsection (d) for each
    12     adoption finalized by the court during the reporting period.
    13         (2)  The total number of adoption decrees during the
    14     reporting period.
    15     (c)  Cooperation.--It is the responsibility of the agency or
    16  intermediary that facilitated the adoption or, if there is no
    17  agency or intermediary, of counsel for the adoptive parent to
    18  cooperate to the fullest extent possible in completing the form
    19  under subsection (d) providing the court any information
    20  concerning the adoption which is requested by the Department of
    21  Health.
    22     (d)  Forms.--The Department of Health shall develop an
    23  adoption data form and distribute the form to each court of
    24  common pleas. In developing the form and procedures relating to
    25  the form, the Department of Health shall request assistance and
    26  comments from clerks of court or an association which represents
    27  their interests, the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania
    28  Courts and the Department of Public Welfare. The form shall
    29  include the following nonidentifying information:
    30         (1)  The age and race of the adoptee, birth parents and
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     1     adoptive parents.
     2         (2)  The gender of the adoptee.
     3         (3)  Any relationship between the adoptee and an adoptive
     4     parent.
     5         (4)  Whether the parental rights of each birth parent
     6     were terminated pursuant to a voluntary relinquishment, an
     7     involuntary termination or a consent to an adoption.
     8         (5)  Whether an adoption agency arranged for the
     9     adoption.
    10         (6)  The time the adoptee was in the custody of an agency
    11     or in private placement.
    12         (7)  The date of the adoption decree.
    13         (8)  Whether the adoptee received adoption assistance.
    14         (9)  Any other information deemed necessary by the
    15     Department of Health based on public input and in
    16     consultation with the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania
    17     Courts and the Department of Public Welfare.
    18     (e)  Confidentiality.--To assure that the identity of the
    19  adoptee, birth parents and adoptive parents is not disclosed in
    20  carrying out this section, the completed data form shall be made
    21  available only to the clerk of court and the Department of
    22  Health. Unauthorized disclosure of the completed data form shall
    23  be subject to section 2910 (relating to penalty for unauthorized
    24  disclosure). The release of nonidentifying statistical
    25  information contained in the report under subsection (f) shall
    26  not constitute unauthorized disclosure under this subsection.
    27     (f)  Report.--No later than May 1 of each year, the
    28  Department of Health shall submit to the Governor, the Secretary
    29  of the Senate, the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives
    30  and the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts a report on
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     1  statistical information received under subsection (b). The
     2  report shall be made on a Statewide and county-by-county basis.
     3  The report shall include any analysis of the data or
     4  recommendations which the Department of Health deems
     5  appropriate.
     6     Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 180 days.
















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