Protecting Adoption and Promoting Responsible Fatherhood Act of 2012
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (20 Jun 2012): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
What this bill does
Here is a plain-English summary of S. 3321:
The bill would create a National Responsible Father Registry, administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, where men who believe they may have fathered a child outside of marriage could register their identifying information. The federal government would encourage states—many of which already run similar "putative father" registries—to enter agreements sharing their state registry data with the national database. Adoption agencies, attorneys, state child-placement agencies, and courts involved in adoption, foster-care placement, or father's-rights termination proceedings could search the combined registry to identify and locate possible fathers, receiving a "certificate of search" documenting their efforts to find and notify them. Registered fathers could also check that their own information is on file. Information would remain in the database for at least 20 years, submitting false information would carry federal penalties, and HHS would run a public education campaign about the registry.
The bill primarily affects unwed mothers, men who may have fathered a child outside marriage, prospective adoptive parents, and the agencies, attorneys, and courts handling adoption or custody cases. It aims to speed up permanent placements for children, protect mothers' privacy by removing pressure to identify partners, give men a way to assert parental rights, and reduce the risk that adoptions are delayed or disrupted because a possible father wasn't found or notified in time. It also authorizes federal grants to states that establish qualifying registries and agreements.
S. 3321 was introduced in the Senate on June 20, 2012, by Senator Mary Landrieu, with Senator Inhofe as a cosponsor, and was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. It did not receive a committee vote or further action before the 112th Congress ended, so it did not become law.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Protecting Adoption and Promoting Responsible Fatherhood Act of 2012 - Amends part B (Child and Family Services) of title IV of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish and maintain an automated National Responsible Father Registry.
Requires the Registry to: (1) contain specified kinds of information sufficient to identify a possible father, and (2) provide a mechanism for men to register such identifying information directly with the Registry.
Limits access to Registry information to eligible parties, including: (1) public and licensed private adoption or child placement agencies, (2) licensed attorneys representing a party in a planned or pending adoption or in the termination of rights of one or more possible fathers, (3) state agencies or entities responsible for the placement of children, and (4) state courts.
Directs the Secretary to establish a nationwide campaign designed to inform possible fathers, unwed mothers, possible adoptive parents, and eligible parties of the National Registry, the advantages of possible fathers registering either in the National Registry or State Responsible Father Registries, or both, the rights and responsibilities of such parties with regard to a proceeding, and the role of such Registries in a proceeding.
Directs the Secretary to use all reasonable efforts to encourage states to enter into agreements to establish automated State Responsible Father Registries and centers that make registration forms easily accessible to possible fathers.
Authorizes the Secretary to make a grant to a state to establish a State Registry or modify an existing one to meet the requirements of this Act.
Timeline
20 Jun 2012
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Common questions
- What does S. 3321 do?
- Here is a plain-English summary of S. 3321: The bill would create a National Responsible Father Registry, administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, where men who believe they may have fathered a child outside of marriage could register their identifying information. The federal government would encourage states—many of which already run similar "putative father" registries—to enter agreements sharing their state registry data with the national database. Adoption agencies, attorneys, state child-placement agencies, and courts involved in adoption, foster-care placement, or father's-rights termination proceedings could search the combined registry to identify and locate possible fathers, receiving a "certificate of search" documenting their efforts to find and notify them. Registered fathers could also check that their own information is on file. Information would remain in the database for at least 20 years, submitting false information would carry federal penalties, and HHS would run a public education campaign about the registry. The bill primarily affects unwed mothers, men who may have fathered a child outside marriage, prospective adoptive parents, and the agencies, attorneys, and courts handling adoption or custody cases. It aims to speed up permanent placements for children, protect mothers' privacy by removing pressure to identify partners, give men a way to assert parental rights, and reduce the risk that adoptions are delayed or disrupted because a possible father wasn't found or notified in time. It also authorizes federal grants to states that establish qualifying registries and agreements. S. 3321 was introduced in the Senate on June 20, 2012, by Senator Mary Landrieu, with Senator Inhofe as a cosponsor, and was referred to the Senate Finance Committee. It did not receive a committee vote or further action before the 112th Congress ended, so it did not become law.
- Has S. 3321 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for S. 3321. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored S. 3321?
- S. 3321 was sponsored by Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA] (D-LA), with 1 cosponsor.
- What's the latest action on S. 3321?
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. (20 Jun 2012).
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CEDS Act
More bills from Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
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