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An Act
ENROLLED SENATE
BILL NO. 1655 By: Stanley of the Senate
and
Miller of the House
An Act relating to the Oklahoma Adoption Code;
amending 10 O.S. 2021, Section 7505-1.1, which
relates to confidential character of hearings and
records; modifying applicability of certain
provisions; defining terms; updating statutory
language; and declaring an emergency.
SUBJECT: Confidentiality of adoption proceedings
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 10 O.S. 2021, Section 7505-1.1, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 7505-1.1. A. Unless otherwise ordered by the district
court exercising jurisdiction over the adoption proceeding, all
hearings held in proceedings pursuant to the Oklahoma Adoption Code
shall be confidential and shall be held in closed court without
admittance of any person other than interested parties and their
counsel.
B. All papers, records, and books of proceedings in adoption
cases and any papers, records, and books relating to such
proceedings:
1. Shall be kept as a permanent record of the court and
maintained in a separate file by the court clerk; and
ENR. S. B. NO. 1655 Page 2
2. Shall be confidential and shall not be open to inspection or
copy except as authorized in Sections 7504-1.2, 7505-3.2, 7505-6.6,
7508-1.2 and 7508-1.3 of this title or upon order of a court of
record for good cause shown.
C. Upon application and notice to the person or agency in whose
possession the records being sought are held, and for good cause
being shown, any court of record may, by written order reciting its
findings, permit the necessary information to be released, or may
restrict the purposes for which it shall be used. The findings
shall include the reasons the information being sought cannot be
obtained through the methods authorized by Sections 7504-1.2, 7505-
3.2, 7505-6.6, 7508-1.2 and 7508-1.3 of this title.
D. The provisions of this section shall not prohibit persons:
1. Persons employed by the court, the Department of Human
Services, a child-placing agency, an attorney participating or
assisting in a direct placement adoption, or any physician,
minister, or other person or entity assisting or participating in an
adoption from providing partial or complete identifying information
between a biological parent and prospective adoptive or adoptive
parent if a biological parent and a prospective adoptive or adoptive
parent mutually agree to share specific identifying information and
each gives written, signed notice of their agreement to the court,
the Department of Human Services, the child-placing agency, or any
attorney participating or assisting in the direct placement adoption
pursuant to the Oklahoma Adoption Code; or
2. Persons employed by the Department of Human Services from
sharing the contact information of an adoptive parent of an adopted
child enrolled in the Children’s Specialty Plan, and other relevant
information necessary for the continuity of care of the child, with
the contracted entity that administers the Children’s Specialty
Plan. As used in this paragraph, the terms “Children’s Specialty
Plan” and “contracted entity” have the same meanings as provided in
Section 4002.2 of Title 56 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
E. Any person in charge of adoption records or having access to
adoption records or information who discloses any information,
including, but not limited to, all records and reports relevant to
the case and any records and reports of examination of the minor’s
ENR. S. B. NO. 1655 Page 3
parent or other custodian pertaining to an adoption proceeding,
contrary to the provisions of this section, upon conviction thereof,
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
SECTION 2. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
ENR. S. B. NO. 1655 Page 4
Passed the Senate the 26th day of March, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Representatives the 4th day of May, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________