KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to California

SB-927 • 2026

Intercountry adoption finalized in a foreign country.

Intercountry adoption finalized in a foreign country.

Children
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Choi
Last action
2026-04-23
Official status
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms or penalties for non-compliance.

Intercountry Adoption Record Keeping

This law allows adoptees of any age to file a petition for their adoption record if neither their parents nor the agency that helped with the adoption did so.

What This Bill Does

  • It lets people who were adopted from another country ask for their adoption records even when they are older than 16 or after moving to the U.S., provided both adoptive parents and the agency failed to file a petition within the required timeframe.
  • The court clerk must send the order granting the petition to the State Registrar.
  • The State Registrar can issue a delayed birth registration based on this information.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who were adopted from another country and live in California
  • Adoption agencies that help with intercountry adoptions

Terms To Know

Intercountry adoption
An adoption where a child is brought to the United States from another country.
Petition
A formal request made to a court or government agency.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if an adoptee tries to file a petition but the original adoption records are missing.
  • It is unclear how this law will be enforced and whether there will be penalties for those who do not comply with filing requirements.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-23 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  2. 2026-04-22 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (April 21).

  3. 2026-04-14 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 21.

  4. 2026-04-08 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on JUD.

  5. 2026-03-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

  6. 2026-02-11 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on RLS.

  7. 2026-01-30 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 1.

  8. 2026-01-29 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 927, as amended, Choi.
Intercountry adoption finalized in a foreign country.
In order to establish a record by which an adoptee can prove the facts of a foreign adoption, existing law requires a state resident who has finalized an intercountry adoption in a foreign country to file a petition to readopt within the earlier of 60 days of the adoptee’s entry into the United States or the adoptee’s 16th birthday. If the adoptive parent fails to file the petition within the prescribed timeframe or to provide a copy of the petition to each adoption agency that provided adoption services to the adoptive parent, existing law requires the adoption agency that facilitated the adoption to file the petition within 90 days of the child’s entry into the United States and to provide a file-marked copy of the petition to the adoptive parent and any other adoption agency that provided services to the adoptive parent, as specified. Existing law requires the petition to include,
among other things, a report from at least one postplacement home visit by an intercountry adoption agency or a contractor of that agency licensed to provide intercountry adoption services in the state. Existing law requires the clerk of the court to submit an order granting the petition to the State Registrar, as specified, and requires the State Registrar to issue a delayed registration of birth upon receipt of the order.
This bill would authorize an adoptee
of any age
to file a petition on their own behalf if both the adoptive parent or parents and the adoption agency that facilitated the adoption failed to file a petition to readopt pursuant to the above-described provisions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF