In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. “Administration” means the Social Services Administration of the Department. “Adoptee” means an individual: who was adopted in this State; or who was placed for adoption by: a child placement agency licensed in this State; or a local department. “Director” means the Director of the Administration. “Identifying information” means information that reveals the identity or location of an adoptee, the natural parents of an adoptee, or a natural sibling. Repealed. “Natural father” means a man who: was married to the adoptee’s natural mother at the time of conception; was married to the adoptee’s natural mother at the time of the adoptee’s birth; was named as the father on the adoptee’s pre-adoption birth certificate, unless the man has signed a denial of paternity or his nonpaternity has been determined by a court; was identified by the natural mother as the father of the adoptee, unless the man has signed a denial of paternity or his nonpaternity has been determined by a court; has been adjudicated to be the father of the adoptee; or has acknowledged himself orally or in writing to be the father of the adoptee. “Natural sibling” means an individual who is at least 21 years old and shares 1 or both natural parents with an adoptee. “Registry” means the Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry.

The purpose of this subtitle is to: establish within the Administration a Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry where natural parents, adoptees, and natural siblings may register if they wish to have identifying information released to each other; and provide for the disclosure of identifying information to natural parents, adoptees, and natural siblings who have registered with the Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry.

The Director shall: establish and maintain a Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry; adopt rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this subtitle; and set and assess a reasonable fee for registrants, except that an individual may not be denied registration solely because of an inability to pay the fee. The Director may contract with child placement agencies in this State to perform specific duties under this subtitle.

Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, or pursuant to a court order, the Administration may not disclose information contained in the Registry. The Administration shall retain affidavits and other information collected concerning a registrant until the date specified by the registrant, or for 99 years after the date of registration, whichever occurs first.

Only the following individuals may register with the Registry: an adoptee: who is at least 21 years of age; and who does not have a natural sibling under the age of 21 years who has the same adoptive parents; a natural mother; a natural father; and a natural sibling.

To register with the Registry, an individual shall submit a notarized affidavit containing the following information: the individual’s current name and any previous name by which the individual was known; the individual’s address and telephone number; if the individual is a natural parent of the adoptee, the original and adopted names, if known, of the adoptee; if the individual is an adoptee who is seeking information regarding the adoptee’s natural parents, any names, if known, by which the natural parents are or were known; if the individual is an adoptee who is seeking information regarding a natural sibling, any names, if known, by which the natural sibling is or was known; if known, the place and date of birth of the adoptee; if known, the name and address of the child placement agency, if any, that placed the adoptee; if known, the names of the adoptive parents of the adoptee; the name and address of the court that issued the adoption or guardianship order; and a statement of the individual’s consent to be identified to other registrants. A registrant shall notify the Administration of changes in information occurring after the affidavit is filed. A registrant may withdraw from the Registry at any time by submitting a notarized affidavit to that effect to the Administration. The Administration shall obtain information necessary for identifying an adoptee, a natural mother of an adoptee, a natural father, or a natural sibling. The Administration may not obtain information regarding: the adoptive parents of the adoptee; a child of the adoptive parents who is not a natural sibling; or the financial status of the adoptive parents of the adoptee.

On receipt of an affidavit, the Administration shall: attempt to match registrants or to provide matching information; and if a match is made, direct the child placement agency, if known, or the local department, if there is no known child placement agency, to notify the registrants through a confidential contact. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a match is made when: an adoptee and the adoptee’s natural mother and natural father register; or 2 or more natural siblings register. A match is made when an adoptee and only 1 natural parent of the adoptee register if: notice of the filing of the petition for adoption or guardianship was given to the nonregistering parent and the parent did not participate in the judicial proceedings that terminated the parent-child relationship or declared the parent-child relationship was nonexistent; an adoptee and the natural mother of the adoptee register and there is no known natural father; the natural mother of the adoptee, or in the case of an agency adoption, the agency submits, or the Administration obtains from a court of competent jurisdiction in the state of the adoptee’s birth or adoption, a copy of a judgment that declares that the identity of the natural father is unknown; the Administration has information that indicates that the other natural parent is dead; notice of the filing of the petition for adoption or guardianship was not given to the nonregistering natural parent of the adoptee; or 1 year has elapsed since the registering natural parent filed the affidavit and the nonregistering natural parent has not filed a notarized affidavit stating the nonregistering parent’s refusal to permit the match. Matching information is provided: if both natural parents are deceased; and if only an adoptee has registered. In order to make a match or provide matching information, the Administration may inquire into the records of a child placement agency or court that issued an adoption or guardianship order. The court that issued the adoption order shall order that the Administration have access to court records on receipt of a petition from the Administration that states that review of the records is needed in order to make a match or to provide matching information under this section.