HB190 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Ginny ShaverRepresentative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Adoption, Minor Adoption Code and Adult Adoption Code revised, procedures related to investigations, service of notice, and revocation of consent further provided for, duties of Department of Human Resources further provided for

Summary

HB190 revises Alabama's Minor and Adult Adoption Codes to clarify government roles, update notice and consent rules, strengthen investigations, create a putative father registry, and expand adoptee rights while making technical updates.

What This Bill Does

It updates the roles of the State Department of Human Resources and county departments across minor and adult adoptions, and revamps how notice is served and consent is given or revoked. It strengthens both pre-placement and post-placement investigations for adoptions, including required background checks and reporting to the court. It creates a putative father registry to capture paternity information and streamline notices, and defines a de facto parent-child relationship for adult adoptions. It also allows adoptees to petition for copies of final judgments in certain cases and tightens confidentiality and record-keeping, with additional rules around grandparent visitation after adoption.

Who It Affects

• Adoptees and their adoptive families (including stepparents) who would be subject to new investigation rules, consent/revocation rules, and who may gain access to final adoption judgments.
• Birth/biological parents, putative/legal fathers, guardians, and other parties involved in adoption proceedings who face new paternity registry requirements, notice procedures, consent/revocation rules, and reporting responsibilities.

Key Provisions

• Create and operate a putative father registry to record paternity information, require notices to the registry, and provide processes for revocation of paternity notices and court notification.
• Define 'de facto parent-child relationship' for adult adoptions and establish caregiver/financial support criteria during the adoptee's minority.
• Strengthen pre-placement and post-placement investigations for minor adoptions, including comprehensive background checks, letters of suitability, and home/environment assessments, with reports filed to the court.
• Revise service-of-notice rules for adoptions, including timelines, who must be notified, and potential alternative methods of service; allow waivers of notice.
• Allow adoptees and petitioners to request copies of final judgments or interlocutory orders under certain circumstances.
• Tighten confidentiality and record-keeping for adoption files, including sealed records and controlled disclosure of non-identifying information; require summary information to be shared appropriately.
• Adjust grandparent visitation rules in adoption contexts, including conditions for temporary or ongoing visitation and how adoption interacts with existing visitation rights.
• Implement technical, non-substantive revisions to update code language to current style and remove duplicative language.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Family Law