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MISSOURI Law/Reform
According to law, all citizens have the right to obtain names of persons who were either born or died in Missouri on a particular date. No other information, except the date can be given, according to paragraph one of statute 193.245. The fees charged for these names are $27.50 for the first 1,000 names; $20 for each additional thousand up to 10,000; and $15 for each additional thousand after 10,000. Usually only about 200 people are born in Missouri on any particular day. If you are interested, send a check for $27.50 made out to the Missouri Department of Health to
The address for Missouri Bureau of Vital Statistics is:
New Legislation May 8, 1997..HB343 passed 5/6/97 in both houses in the Missouri legislature, it still needs to be signed by the governor. This bill allows contact between the adopted person and the birth family during the 9-month period when the adopted parent has custody of the child but the adoption is not final. This contact is at the discretion of the adoptive parents. Another provision of the bill allows a person arranging a placement of the child for adoption (facilitator) to give the adoptive parents a written report containing information about the child's medical status, the birth parents' or, child's medical and social history, any information necessary to decide, the child's eligibility for government benefits, and the legal history and status of the child and parents. It also allows the facilitator to supplement the report in writing if relevant information later becomes available. It does prohibit the facilitator from disclosing the identity of the individuals giving the facilitator information unless the facilitator obtains the person's consent in writing. Gives the facilitator immunity from liability for incorrect information provided by others or for unintentional errors and requires the facilitator to file the report with the court having jurisdiction of the adoption with the guardian ad litem. Specifies that the court does not have authority to deny continuing contact between the birth parent and the adopted person or an adoptive parent. The court may not prohibit the exchange of identifying information between birth parents and the adoptive parents. After the adoption is final, further contact among the parties may occur only at the discretion of the adoptive parents.
Missouri Links
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