2006 Indiana Code - CHAPTER 5. PUTATIVE FATHER REGISTRY
IC 31-19-5Chapter 5. Putative Father Registry
IC 31-19-5-1
Application of chapter
31-19-5-1 Sec. 1. This chapter applies to a putative father
whenever:
(1) an adoption under IC 31-19-2 is filed regarding a child who
may have been conceived by the putative father; and
(2) on or before the date the child's mother executes a consent
to the child's adoption, the child's mother has not disclosed the
name or address, or both, of the putative father to an attorney or
agency that is arranging the child's adoption.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-2
Establishment of registry; rules
31-19-5-2 Sec. 2. The putative father registry is established within
the state department of health. The state department shall adopt rules
under IC 4-22-2 to administer the registry.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-3
Purpose of registry
31-19-5-3 Sec. 3. The registry's purpose is to determine the name
and address of a father:
(1) whose name and address have not been disclosed by the
mother of the child, on or before the date the mother executes
a consent to the child's adoption, to:
(A) an attorney; or
(B) an agency;
that is arranging the adoption of the child; and
(2) who may have conceived a child for whom a petition for
adoption has been or may be filed to provide notice of the
adoption to the putative father.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-4
Notice rights of registered persons
31-19-5-4 Sec. 4. A putative father of a child who registers in
accordance with this chapter (or IC 31-3-1.5 before its repeal) is
entitled to notice of the child's adoption under Rule 4.1 of the Indiana
Rules of Trial Procedure.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-5
Necessity of registration as requisite to notice rights
31-19-5-5 Sec. 5. If, on or before the date the mother of a child
executes a consent to the child's adoption, the mother does not
disclose to an attorney or agency that:
(1) is arranging; or
(2) may arrange;
an adoption of the child the name or address, or both, of the putative
father of the child, the putative father must register under this chapter
to entitle the putative father to notice of the child's adoption.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-6
Rights of presumptive fathers
31-19-5-6 Sec. 6. This chapter does not relieve a man who is
presumed to be a father under 31-14-7-2 from the obligation of
registering in accordance with this chapter to be entitled to notice of
an adoption of a child for whom the man may be the presumed
father.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-7
Information maintained in registry; father's agent for notice
31-19-5-7 Sec. 7. (a) The state department of health shall maintain
the following information in the registry:
(1) The putative father's:
(A) name;
(B) address at which the putative father may be served with
notice of an adoption under Rule 4.1 of the Indiana Rules of
Trial Procedure;
(C) Social Security number; and
(D) date of birth.
(2) The mother's:
(A) name, including all other names known to the putative
father that the mother uses, if known;
(B) address, if known;
(C) Social Security number, if known; and
(D) date of birth, if known.
(3) The child's:
(A) name, if known; and
(B) place of birth, if known.
(4) The date that the state department of health receives a
putative father's registration.
(5) The:
(A) name of an attorney or agency that requests the state
department to search the registry under section 15 of this
chapter to determine whether a putative father is registered
in relation to a mother whose child is or may be the subject
of an adoption; and
(B) date that the attorney or agency submits a request as
provided under this subdivision.
(6) Any other information that the state department determines
is necessary to access the information in the registry.
(b) If a putative father does not have an address where the putative
father is able to be served with notice of an adoption, the putative
father may designate another person as an agent for the purpose of
being served with notice of adoption. The putative father must
provide the department with the agent's name and the address at
which the agent may be served. Service of notice upon the agent
under Rule 4.1 of the Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure constitutes
service of notice upon the putative father. If notice of an adoption
may not be served on the agent under Rule 4.1 of the Indiana Rules
of Trial Procedure as provided by this subsection, further notice of
the adoption to the agent or to the putative father is not necessary.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11. Amended by P.L.197-1997,
SEC.16.
IC 31-19-5-8
Registry data access points
31-19-5-8 Sec. 8. The state department of health shall store the
registry's data to make the data accessible under the following:
(1) The putative father's name.
(2) The mother's name.
(3) The child's name, if known.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-9
Information supplied
31-19-5-9 Sec. 9. A putative father who registers under this
chapter shall provide to the state department of health the following:
(1) The putative father's:
(A) name;
(B) address at which the putative father may be served with
notice of an adoption under Rule 4.1 of the Indiana Rules of
Trial Procedure;
(C) Social Security number; and
(D) date of birth.
(2) The mother's name, including all other names known to the
putative father that the mother uses.
(3) Any other information described under section 7 of this
chapter that is known to the putative father.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-10
Registration form
31-19-5-10 Sec. 10. A putative father shall register under this
chapter on a registration form prescribed by the state department of
health. The registration form must be signed by the putative father
and notarized.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-11
Verification; amendment of information
31-19-5-11 Sec. 11. A putative father who registers under this
chapter is responsible for:
(1) verifying with the state department of health the accuracy of
the registration; and
(2) submitting to the state department of health an amended
registration each time the information supplied by the putative
father changes;
during the period specified by section 12 of this chapter.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-12
Time of registration
31-19-5-12 Sec. 12. (a) To be entitled to notice of an adoption
under IC 31-19-3 or IC 31-19-4, a putative father must register with
the state department of health under section 5 of this chapter not later
than:
(1) thirty (30) days after the child's birth; or
(2) the date of the filing of a petition for the child's adoption;
whichever occurs later.
(b) A putative father may register under subsection (a) before the
child's birth.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-13
Availability of registration forms
31-19-5-13 Sec. 13. The state department of health shall:
(1) prescribe a registration form for the information that a
putative father submits under section 9 of this chapter; and
(2) make the registration forms available through:
(A) the state department;
(B) each clerk of a circuit court; and
(C) each local health department.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-14
Public notice of purpose and operation of registry
31-19-5-14 Sec. 14. (a) Each:
(1) clerk of a circuit court;
(2) branch office of the bureau of motor vehicles;
(3) hospital; and
(4) local health department;
shall post in a conspicuous place a notice that informs the public
about the purpose and operation of the registry.
(b) The notice under subsection (a) must include information
regarding the following:
(1) Where to obtain a registration form.
(2) Where to register.
(3) The circumstances under which a putative father is required
to register.
(4) When under section 12 of this chapter a putative father is
required to register to entitle the putative father to notice of an
adoption.
(5) The consequences of not submitting a timely registration.
(c) Failure to post a proper notice under this section does not
relieve a putative father of the obligation to register with the state
department of health in accordance with this chapter to entitle the
putative father to notice of the adoption of a child who may have
been conceived by the putative father.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-15
Requests for search of registry by persons arranging adoption
31-19-5-15 Sec. 15. (a) An attorney or agency that arranges an
adoption or may arrange an adoption may at any time request that the
state department of health search the registry to determine whether
a putative father is registered in relation to a mother whose child is
or may be the subject of an adoption.
(b) Whenever a petition for adoption is filed, the attorney or
agency that arranges the adoption shall:
(1) request that the state department of health search the registry
under this section at least one (1) day after the expiration of the
period specified by section 12 of this chapter; and
(2) file an affidavit prepared by the state department of health
under section 16 of this chapter in response to a request under
subdivision (1) with the court presiding over the adoption under
this article.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-16
Affidavit of registry search
31-19-5-16 Sec. 16. (a) Not later than ten (10) days after receiving
a request under section 15 of this chapter, the state department of
health shall submit an affidavit to the attorney or agency verifying
whether a putative father is registered within the period specified by
section 12 of this chapter in relation to a mother whose child is the
subject of the adoption that the attorney or agency is arranging.
(b) Whenever the state department of health finds that one (1) or
more putative fathers are registered, the state department shall:
(1) submit a copy of each registration form with the state
department's affidavit; and
(2) include in the affidavit the date that the attorney or agency
submits the request for a search that relates to the affidavit.
(c) A court may not grant an adoption unless the state
department's affidavit under this section is filed with the court as
provided under IC 31-19-11-1(a)(4).
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-17
Departmental responsibilities upon request for registry search
31-19-5-17 Sec. 17. Whenever the state department of health
receives a request under section 15 of this chapter, the state
department shall:
(1) search the state department's records of paternity
determinations filed under IC 31-14-9-2; and
(2) notify the attorney or agency, in compliance with
IC 31-19-6, as to whether a record of a paternity determination
has been filed concerning a child who is or may be the subject
of an adoption that the attorney or agency is arranging.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-18
Waiver of notice rights of unregistered putative fathers;
irrevocably implied consent to adoption
31-19-5-18 Sec. 18. A putative father who fails to register within
the period specified by section 12 of this chapter waives notice of an
adoption proceeding. The putative father's waiver under this section
constitutes an irrevocably implied consent to the child's adoption.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-19
Revocation of registration
31-19-5-19 Sec. 19. A putative father may revoke a registration at
any time by submitting a signed, notarized statement revoking the
registration.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-20
Methods of submitting registration
31-19-5-20 Sec. 20. A putative father must submit a registration
under this chapter:
(1) in person; or
(2) by:
(A) facsimile transmission;
(B) mail;
(C) private courier; or
(D) express delivery service.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-21
Request for certified copy of registration form or for
information; procedure; persons qualified to apply
31-19-5-21 Sec. 21. (a) Subject to subsection (b), upon written
request by:
(1) a putative father;
(2) a mother;
(3) a child;
(4) any party or attorney of record in a pending adoption;
(5) an attorney who represents prospective adoptive parents or
petitioners in an adoption;
(6) a licensed child placing agency that represents prospective
adoptive parents or petitioners in an adoption; or
(7) a court that presides over a pending adoption;
the state department of health shall furnish a certified copy of a
putative father's registration form.
(b) The state department may release the certified copy of the
registration form to a person under subsection (a)(1) through (a)(3)
only if the information contained in the registration form names the
requesting person.
(c) A person listed under subsection (a), who requests information
about a registration from the state department, must do the following:
(1) Submit the request in writing.
(2) Under the penalties of perjury, state that the requesting
person is entitled to receive the information under this chapter.
(3) Submit the request in a manner described by section 20(1)
or 20(2) of this chapter.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-22
Timeliness of responses to requests; fees
31-19-5-22 Sec. 22. (a) Except as provided in section 16 of this
chapter, the state department of health shall immediately respond to
requests regarding registrations under this chapter:
(1) in writing; and
(2) in a manner described by section 20 of this chapter.
(b) The state department may charge a fee for responding to a
request under this section, unless the state department mails the
department's response.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-23
Confidentiality of registry information
31-19-5-23 Sec. 23. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter,
information contained within the registry is confidential.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-24
Registering false information
31-19-5-24 Sec. 24. A person who knowingly or intentionally
registers false information under this chapter commits a Class A
misdemeanor.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
IC 31-19-5-25
Release or request for confidential information
31-19-5-25 Sec. 25. (a) A person who knowingly or intentionally
releases or requests confidential information in violation of this
chapter commits a Class A misdemeanor.
(b) It is a defense under this section if the state registrar releases
confidential information while acting:
(1) in good faith; and
(2) with reasonable diligence.
As added by P.L.1-1997, SEC.11.
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