S*456 Session 112 (1997-1998)
S*0456(Rat #0129, Act #0069 of 1997) General Bill, By Wilson and Giese
Similar(H 3790)
A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
20-7-1795 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IN THE CASE OF DOMESTICATING THE FOREIGN
ADOPTION OF A FOREIGN CHILD, THE COURT SHALL TRANSMIT THE CERTIFICATE OF
ADOPTION TO THE STATE REGISTRAR WITHOUT THE NECESSITY OF A HEARING UNLESS THE
COURT FINDS THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION UNSATISFACTORY, TO PROVIDE FOR THE
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION, TO REQUIRE COURT ADMINISTRATION IN CONSULTATION WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL TO PREPARE AND MAKE
AVAILABLE PETITION FORMS AND GUIDELINES FOR OBTAINING THE DOMESTICATION OF A
FOREIGN ADOPTION, AND TO REQUIRE THE STATE REGISTRAR TO ISSUE AN AMENDED
CERTIFICATE OF BIRTH PURSUANT TO THE ORDER; AND TO AMEND SECTION 44-63-140, AS
AMENDED, RELATING TO SUPPLEMENTARY AND AMENDED BIRTH CERTIFICATES, SO AS TO
PROVIDE THE FORM AND MANNER IN WHICH A CERTIFICATE OF FOREIGN BIRTH MUST BE
ISSUED FOLLOWING AN ORDER PURSUANT TO SECTION 20-7-1795.-AMENDED TITLE
03/04/97 Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-8
03/04/97 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-8
04/16/97 Senate Committee report: Favorable Judiciary SJ-10
04/17/97 Senate Read second time SJ-17
04/17/97 Senate Unanimous consent for third reading on next
legislative day SJ-17
04/18/97 Senate Read third time and sent to House SJ-2
04/23/97 House Introduced and read first time HJ-9
04/23/97 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-9
05/14/97 House Committee report: Favorable with amendment
Judiciary HJ-10
05/20/97 House Amended HJ-46
05/20/97 House Read second time HJ-48
05/21/97 House Read third time and returned to Senate with
amendments HJ-22
05/22/97 Senate Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-23
06/04/97 Ratified R 129
06/10/97 Signed By Governor
06/10/97 Effective date 06/10/97
06/24/97 Copies available
06/24/97 Act No. 69
(A69, R129, S456)
AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH
CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 20-7-1795 SO AS TO
PROVIDE THAT IN THE CASE OF DOMESTICATING THE
FOREIGN ADOPTION OF A FOREIGN CHILD, THE COURT SHALL
TRANSMIT THE CERTIFICATE OF ADOPTION TO THE STATE
REGISTRAR WITHOUT THE NECESSITY OF A HEARING UNLESS
THE COURT FINDS THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION
UNSATISFACTORY, TO PROVIDE FOR THE REQUIRED
DOCUMENTATION, TO REQUIRE COURT ADMINISTRATION IN
CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL TO PREPARE AND MAKE
AVAILABLE PETITION FORMS AND GUIDELINES FOR
OBTAINING THE DOMESTICATION OF A FOREIGN ADOPTION,
AND TO REQUIRE THE STATE REGISTRAR TO ISSUE AN
AMENDED CERTIFICATE OF BIRTH PURSUANT TO THE ORDER;
AND TO AMEND SECTION 44-63-140, AS AMENDED, RELATING
TO SUPPLEMENTARY AND AMENDED BIRTH CERTIFICATES,
SO AS TO PROVIDE THE FORM AND MANNER IN WHICH A
CERTIFICATE OF FOREIGN BIRTH MUST BE ISSUED
FOLLOWING AN ORDER PURSUANT TO SECTION 20-7-1795.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Recognition and domestication of a foreign adoption; documentation;
petition; and guidelines
SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 20-7-1795. (A) Notwithstanding the provisions of
Section 20-7-1790(A) and (B), in the case of a child born in a foreign
country who was not a United States citizen at birth and whose adoption
was finalized in a foreign country, the court shall review the
documentation as required by this section and, if it finds the
documentation to be satisfactory, shall issue an order stating that the
documentation required by this section has been submitted and is
satisfactory and that the foreign adoption must be recognized and
domesticated in South Carolina. The court shall transmit the order and the
certificate of adoption to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics without the
necessity of a hearing unless the court finds the documentation submitted
pursuant to subsection (B) is unsatisfactory and such finding is stated in
the order resulting from the hearing.
(B) Documentation required to be submitted to the court includes, but
is not limited to:
(1) a verified petition seeking domestication of the foreign
adoption;
(2) a post foreign adoption home study completed by a person
certified pursuant to Section 20-7-1750 which evaluates the adjustment
and progress of the child and family since adoption;
(3) naturalization papers, if available;
(4) other documentation as the court may request as stated in
materials developed pursuant to subsection (C).
(C) Court administration in consultation with the Department of
Health and Environmental Control shall develop petition forms, including
documentation required to be filed with the petition, and guidelines for
obtaining the domestication of a foreign adoption. These forms and
guidelines must be available to the public upon request at all county clerks
of court offices and at Department of Health and Environmental Control
offices.
(D) The state registrar, upon receipt of the order and certificate of
adoption shall take action as provided in Section 44-63-140 with respect
to the issuance and filing of an amended certificate of birth."
Issuance of certificate of foreign birth
SECTION 2. Section 44-63-140 of the 1976 Code, as last
amended by Act 341 of 1988, is further amended by adding at the end:
"(5) When adoption is decreed in a foreign country of a person
born in that country and the procedures set forth in Section 20-7-1795 are
followed, upon receipt of the court order with its findings and the
certificate of adoption, the state registrar shall prepare a 'Certificate of
Foreign Birth'. The certificate, and any issued copy of the certificate,
must be labeled 'Certificate of Foreign Birth' and must state the actual
country of birth. A statement also must be included on the certificate, and
any issued copy of the certificate, that it is not evidence of United States'
citizenship for the person for whom it is issued."
Time effective
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Approved the 10th day of June, 1997. |