Indiana Senate passes adoption records bill

INDIANAPOLIS (WLFI) – The Indiana Senate approved a bill Thursday that moves adult adoptees one step closer to being able to access “closed records,” like original birth certificates and adoption records.

Senate Bill 91, authored by Republican Sens. Brent Steele and Mike Delph, and co-authored by Democratic Sen. Lonnie Randolph, was approved 43-5.

Hoosiers for Equal Access to Records – a nonprofit pushing for adoptee rights – has been fighting for eight years to gain equal access to closed records for adoptees. Since under current law, those adopted after 1994 have access. However, those adopted between the years of 1941-1993 are in the closed records period and have a difficult and expensive process.

“This bill is so important to adult adoptees across Indiana,” HEAR president Pam Kroskie released. “We are deeply grateful to the Indiana State Senate for pushing Hoosier adoptees one step closer to equal access to records.”

SB 91 now travels to the House for committee consideration.