MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2005 Regular Session

To: Public Health and Welfare

By: Senator(s) White

Senate Bill 2590

(As Passed the Senate)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 43-15-19, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DIRECT THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO JOINTLY DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN AN ADOPTION RESOURCE EXCHANGE REGISTRY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

     SECTION 1.  Section 43-15-19, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

     43-15-19.  (1)  The State Department of Human Services and the Mississippi State Department of Health shall jointly maintain a Mississippi Adoption Resource Exchange registry, which shall contain (a) a total listing of all children freed for adoption, (b) a listing of all persons who wish to adopt children and who are approved by a licensed adoption agency in the state of Mississippi, and (c) statistical information on the number of adoption petitions filed and approved in each chancery court district in the state, to be made available to the department by the senior chancellor of each chancery court district.  Said registry shall be distributed to all county welfare directors and licensed adoption agencies within the state and shall be updated at least quarterly.  The State Department of Human Services and the State Department of Health shall establish regulations for listing descriptive characteristics while protecting the privacy of the children's names.  Listed names shall be removed when adoption placement plans are made for a child or when a person withdraws an application for adoption.

     (2)  Adoptive parents shall be given the option of having their names placed in the registry.  They shall be required to give written authority to the county human services department to place their names in the registry and said authorization shall be forwarded to the Department of Human Services, Office of Family and Children's Services, for approval.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2005.