STAND. COM. REP. NO 364

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 352

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 352 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ADOPTION RECORDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide adoptees who have attained eighteen years of age unfettered access to the adoptee's adoption records.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that it is difficult for adoptees to obtain access to their adoption records because Hawaii's adoption record law conditions access to adoption records on birthparent approval.  Historically, adoptees' access to adoption records was limited due to the prevailing idea that adopted children were better off if they were unaware of their adoption.  Your Committee finds, however, that current research indicates that the secrecy surrounding adoption actually has detrimental effects on adoptees and that adoptees have a significant interest in learning their familial history for various reasons, including for purposes related to health care diagnosis and treatment.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 352, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 352, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Labor.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services and Housing,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair