§ 22 §2706-A — Adoption contact files

Maine § 22 §2706-A

• Jurisdiction: Maine
• Title 22: HEALTH AND WELFARE
• Part 6: BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS
• Ch. 701: GENERAL PROVISIONS

Text

1.
File.
The state registrar shall maintain files of the names and addresses of adopted persons and their adoptive and genetic parents who have registered under this section.
2.
Registration.
This subsection governs participation in the adoption registry.
3.
Certification of identity and relationship.
The state registrar shall require each person registering or requesting contact to provide certification of the registrant's identity and relationship to the person with whom contact is desired and any additional information that is necessary to ensure accurate identification of the registrant and assist in identifying the other party.
3-A.
Providing information about available counseling.
The state registrar shall provide information about sources of counseling to any person registering or requesting contact.
4.
Reviewing departmental files.
The state registrar may review both public and confidential departmental files to assist in identifying or verifying the identification of the other party. If both parties have registered, the state registrar may release those names and addresses even if the relationship was identified or verified by the use of confidential departmental files. The state registrar may charge a fee for the assistance, which must reasonably reflect the cost of providing it.
5.
Request for contact.
When the state registrar has requests for contact from a person specified in subsection 2, paragraph A and a person specified in subsection 2, paragraph B that are related to the same adoption and both persons indicated at the time of registration that contact with the other person was desired, the state registrar shall notify each party of the name and address of the other party and of sources of counseling. If a genetic parent, an adoptive parent or an adopted person registered under this section has made a request for contact and the party being sought died in the State, the state registrar shall disclose to the requesting party the fact that the genetic parent, adoptive parent or the adopted person has died.
6.
Confidentiality.
Except as provided in subsection 5, the files established under this section are confidential and not open to public inspection.
7.
Public information.
The state registrar shall, by appropriate means, make known to the public the existence of the adoption contact files, the assistance the department may offer and the purposes of those files.

Legislative History

PL 1979, c. 384 (NEW). PL 1985, c. 673 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 818, §§4-7 (AMD). PL 2021, c. 49, §5 (AMD). RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. B, §136 (COR).