§ 15-7.2-1. Definitions. As used in this chapter:

(1) "Adoptee" means a person who has been adopted in the state of Rhode Island.

(2) "Adoption" means the judicial act of creating the relationship of parent and child where it did not exist previously.

(3) "Adoptive parent" means an adult who has become a parent of a child through adoption.

(4) "Adult" means a person twenty-one (21) years of age or older.

(5) "Agency" means any public or private organization licensed or authorized under the laws of this state to place children for adoption.

(6) "Birth parent" is:

(i) The person who is legally presumed under the laws of this state to be the father or mother of genetic origin of a child; and

(ii) A putative father of the child if the birth mother alleges he is the father and the putative father, by written affidavit at any time or by surrender and release executed within one year of the relinquishment of the child by the birth mother or termination of parental rights of the birth mother, acknowledges being the child's biological father.

(7) "Court" is family court seating in Providence county.

(8) "Genetic and social history" is a comprehensive report, when obtainable, on the birth parents, siblings to the birth parents, if any, other children of either birth parent, if any, and parents of the birth parents, and contains so much of the following information that is available:

(i) Medical history;

(ii) Health status;

(iii) Cause of and age at death;

(iv) Height, weight, eye and hair color;

(v) Ethnic origins; and

(vi) Religion, if any.

(9) "Health history" is a comprehensive report, when obtainable, of the child's health status and medical history at the time of placement for adoption, including neonatal, psychological, developmental, physiological, and medical care history.

(10) "Passive voluntary adoption reunion registry" is a registry, which is not authorized to seek registrants out but is authorized only to accept voluntary registration from eligible parties as designated in this chapter.

(11) "Putative father" is a man who, under the laws of this state, is not legally presumed to be the father of genetic origin of a child, but who claims or is alleged to be the father of genetic origin of the child.

(12) "Registry" is a passive voluntary adoption reunion registry as established under this chapter.

(13) "Relevant parties" are only those parties eligible to register and to use a registry pursuant to § 15-7.2-7.

(14) "Successor agency" is an agency which has the adoption records of another agency because of the merger of the agency and the successor agency or because a former agency has ceased doing business and has given its adoption records to the successor agency as provided in this chapter.

History of Section. (P.L. 1993, ch. 388, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 166, § 1.)