<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" citation="COMAR 07.02.13.03" title_num="07" subtitle_num="02" chapter_num="13" heading="Maryland Mutual Consent Voluntary Adoption Registry.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Registry Registration Requirements.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Registration shall be accepted from:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>An adoptee, 21 years old or older; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>An adoptee's birth mother, birth father, and birth siblings who are 21 years old or older.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Completion of the registration process. The registrant shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Complete a consent form containing a statement of the individual's consent to be identified to other registrants matched as birth family members;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Complete a registration form giving:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>The individual's current name;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Any previous name or names;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Current address and telephone numbers;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>Any information known about the individual being sought including name or names, birth name, adoptive name, date and place of birth, and names of adoptive parents;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>The name and address of the agency that placed the child for adoption; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vi)">
          <text>The name and address of the court that issued the adoption or guardianship decree; and</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Pay the fees prescribed by the Director according to the registration fee schedule for the Mutual Consent Registry and Search, Contact, and Reunion Services Programs.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Fees.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The fee shall accompany the consent form.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A fee is not required from any registrant whose income is at or below the national poverty level.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>The registrant may provide notification to the Administration of changes in information occurring after the affidavit and registration form are filed.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>A registrant may withdraw from the registry at any time by submitting a notarized affidavit to the Administration that contains the registrant's name and a request to be removed from the registry files.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Matches.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Upon receipt of a registration form, consent form, and fees the registry shall search its files for potential matching family members.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Before identifying information is released to either registrant, verification that a familial relationship exists shall be obtained from a source that is independent of registry files.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>To prevent errors in identifying family members, relationship of the family members shall be verified by a third party before identifying information may be released to the registrants.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>The third party may be, but is not limited to:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The agency that placed the child for adoption;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>The Bureau of Vital Statistics; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>A court of competent jurisdiction.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>A match is made if:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>An adoptee and the adoptee's birth mother and birth father register;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Two or more of the birth siblings register; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>An adoptee and only one birth parent of the adoptee register if any of the following conditions exist:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>An adoptee and the birth mother register and there is no known birth father;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>The Administration has been notified or received information that the nonregistering birth parent is deceased;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>The birth mother of the adoptee declares that the identity of the birth father is unknown;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>The adoption agency submits 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;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>The father named in a birth or adoption record has declared the parent-child relationship does not exist;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vi)">
          <text>At the time of the adoption, notice of the filing of the petition for adoption or guardianship was not given to the nonregistering natural parent of the adoptee and the parent did not participate in the judicial proceedings that terminated the parent-child relationship;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(vii)">
          <text>Notice of the filing of the petition for adoption or guardianship was not given to the nonregistering birth parent; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(viii)">
          <text>1 year has elapsed since the registering parent filed the affidavit and the nonregistering birth parent has not filed a notarized affidavit stating the nonregistering parent's refusal to permit the match.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>Access to Records.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The administration may inquire into the records of a child placement agency, local department of social services, or court that issued the adoption or guardianship decree.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>The court that issued the adoption decree shall order that the Administration have access to the court record on receipt of a petition from the Administration that states review of the record is needed in order to make a match or to provide matching information.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>Confidentiality and Record Retention.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The registry shall retain information and documents collected until the date specified by the registrant or 99 years after the registration, whichever occurs first.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>If necessary, registry documents and information shall be destroyed in accordance with the State procedure for disposal of confidential information.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Information in the registry may not be disclosed except as otherwise provided in these regulations or pursuant to a court order.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Information on the registry may be used for search, contact, and reunion services if the adoptee or birth parent registers for that Program.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>