HB 2199 -- Putative Father Registry

Co-Sponsors:  Barry, Riback Wilson (25)

This bill makes several changes in the law governing the Putative
Father Registry maintained by the Division of Family Services.
The bill sets forth a notice which the division must make
available to the public regarding the registry and the rights of
a putative father.

The bill repeals a provision requiring adoption proceedings to
include the written consent of a putative father when paternity
is based upon the results of a blood test.

Current law requires that the putative father of a child be
notified when his alleged child is the subject of an adoption
proceeding.  The notice may be made by newspaper publication when
no putative father is known.  The bill repeals the newspaper
notice provision and requires the division to notify only those
men who have requested to be included in the registry.  The bill
clarifies that a man's parental rights are not waived in the
event that he fails to request to be listed on the registry as a
result of a misrepresentation by the mother regarding the birth
of the child.

The bill repeals the requirement that the mother name all of the
possible fathers of the child when granting her consent in an
adoption proceeding.

The bill creates an additional $50 filing fee for petitions for
adoption, to fund the registry.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated October 11, 2002 at 9:03 am