(a)  A registry shall release only information necessary for identifying a birth parent, adult adoptee or adult genetic sibling of an adult adoptee, and shall not release information of any kind pertaining to:

(1)  The adoptive parents;

(2)  The siblings to the adult adoptee who are children of the adoptive parents; and

(3)  The income of anyone.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-12

  • Adoptee: means a person who has been adopted in the state of Rhode Island. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1
  • Adult: means a person twenty-one (21) years of age or older. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1
  • Birth parent: is:

    (i)  The person who is legally presumed under the laws of this state to be the father or mother of genetic origin of a child; and

    (ii)  A putative father of the child if the birth mother alleges he is the father and the putative father, by written affidavit at any time or by surrender and release executed within one year of the relinquishment of the child by the birth mother or termination of parental rights of the birth mother, acknowledges being the child's biological father. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1

  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • Registry: is a passive voluntary adoption reunion registry as established under this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 15-7.2-1

(b)  In the event of a verified match and release of identifying information, the registry, upon the written request of the adult adoptee of the match, shall certify to the state registrar of vital records that the adult adoptee is a party to a verified match and is entitled to receive uncertified copies of his or her original birth certificate. The certification shall also state that no person other than the adult adoptee is entitled to receive copies of the original birth certificate. However, no uncertified copy of the original birth certificate may be released to the adult adoptee unless each party named on the original birth certificate has registered. Registration by a birth parent not named on the original birth certificate shall not be required for release of the uncertified copy of the original birth certificate.

History of Section.
P.L. 1993, ch. 388, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 54, § 1.