Sec. 160.421. SEARCH OF APPROPRIATE REGISTRY. (a) If a father-child relationship has not been established under this chapter, a petitioner for the adoption of or the termination of parental rights regarding the child must obtain a certificate of the results of a search of the registry. The petitioner may request a search of the registry on or after the 32nd day after the date of the birth of the child, and the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission may not by rule impose a waiting period that must elapse before the vital statistics unit will conduct the requested search.
(b) If the petitioner for the adoption of or the termination of parental rights regarding a child has reason to believe that the conception or birth of the child may have occurred in another state, the petitioner must obtain a certificate of the results of a search of the paternity registry, if any, in the other state.
Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 821, Sec. 1.01, eff. June 14, 2001.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 627 (H.B. 567), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 1.073, eff. April 2, 2015.
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