I 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6298 
To establish national and State putative father registries, to make grants 
to States to promote permanent families for children and responsible 
fatherhood, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 29, 2010 
Ms. RICHARDSON (for herself, Mr. CONYERS, and Mr. GRIJALVA) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To establish national and State putative father registries, 
to make grants to States to promote permanent families 
for children and responsible fatherhood, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Adoption 
and Promoting Responsible Fatherhood Act of 2010’’. 
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SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL AND STATE PUTA-
TIVE FATHER REGISTRIES TO FACILITATE 
ADOPTIONS. 
Part B of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 620 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘Subpart 3—National and State Putative Father 
Registries to Facilitate Adoptions 
‘‘SEC. 440. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this subpart: 
‘‘(1) BUSINESS DAY.—The term ‘business day’ 
means a day on which Federal and State offices are 
open for regular business. 
‘‘(2) HOME
ADDRESS.—The term ‘home ad-
dress’ means the most recent place of residence of 
an individual. 
‘‘(3) 
NATIONAL
PUTATIVE
FATHER
REG-
ISTRY.—The term ‘National Putative Father Reg-
istry’ means the registry established and maintained 
under section 441. 
‘‘(4) NOTICE.—The term ‘notice’ means notice 
sufficient to satisfy any requirements under State 
law applicable with respect to notice to a putative fa-
ther of paternity, of a proceeding to terminate his 
rights to a child, or of a proceeding that is related 
to a planned or pending adoption in that State of a 
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modified and maintained under section 444 for that 
State. 
‘‘SEC. 441. NATIONAL PUTATIVE FATHER REGISTRY. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than the date 
that is 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
subpart, the Secretary shall establish and maintain 
an automated National Putative Father Registry 
that contains the information described in section 
444(c). 
‘‘(2) DATA
ENTRY
AND
DELETION
REQUIRE-
MENTS.— 
‘‘(A) DATA
ENTRY.—Information trans-
mitted by a State under section 444(d)(2) shall 
be entered into the National Putative Father 
Registry not later than the date that is 2 busi-
ness days after the date on which such informa-
tion is received. 
‘‘(B) DELETION
OF
DATA.—Information 
entered into the National Putative Father Reg-
istry shall remain in the registry for not less 
than 20 years from the date of entry. 
‘‘(3) ACCESS
TO
INFORMATION
IN
THE
NA-
TIONAL
PUTATIVE
FATHER
REGISTRY.—Access to 
the information contained in the National Putative 
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Father Registry is limited to the organizational unit 
that is responsible for administering the State Puta-
tive Father Registry under section 443(3) and any 
State agencies or entities that are involved in the 
placement of children. 
‘‘(4) SEARCH REQUESTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
only accept a request from an eligible party de-
scribed in subparagraph (B) to search the Na-
tional Putative Father Registry if such request 
has been verified for authenticity. 
‘‘(B) ELIGIBLE PARTIES DESCRIBED.—The 
eligible parties described in this subparagraph 
are as follows: 
‘‘(i) Public and licensed private adop-
tion or child placement agencies accessing 
information for an adoption or termination 
of rights of a putative father. 
‘‘(ii) Licensed attorneys representing 
a party in a planned or pending adoption 
or the termination of rights of a putative 
father. 
‘‘(iii) The State agency responsible for 
administering the State plan under part D 
of this title. 
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‘‘(iv) State agencies or entities respon-
sible for the placement of children. 
‘‘(v) State courts. 
‘‘(C) FEE.—The Secretary is authorized to 
charge a reasonable fee for a search conducted 
under this subsection. 
‘‘(5) LIMITATION ON DISCLOSURE OF INFORMA-
TION.—No information contained in the National 
Putative Father Registry shall be disclosed to any 
person if the disclosure of such information would 
contravene a national security interest of the United 
States or if such disclosure would compromise the 
confidentiality of census data. 
‘‘(6) METHODS FOR REQUESTING A SEARCH OF 
THE NATIONAL DATABASE.—A person who is eligible 
to request a search under this section may do so ei-
ther electronically or through the mail. 
‘‘(7) CERTIFICATE OF SEARCH.— 
‘‘(A) ISSUANCE.—Within 2 business days 
of receipt of a search request under paragraph 
(4), the Secretary shall issue by mail a certifi-
cate of search to the person who requested the 
search. 
‘‘(B) 
CONTENTS.—The 
certificate 
of 
search shall contain— 
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‘‘(i) the names and most recent con-
tact information for possible putative fa-
thers; and 
‘‘(ii) the State Putative Father Reg-
istries included in the search. 
‘‘(C) EFFECT OF CERTIFICATE.—A certifi-
cate issued under this paragraph shall serve as 
evidence of efforts to locate a putative father in 
order to provide the putative father with notice 
of a proceeding to establish paternity of, of a 
proceeding to terminate the putative father’s 
rights to, or of a proceeding related to a pend-
ing or planned adoption of a child the putative 
father has or may have fathered, or of the entry 
of such a child into State custody. 
‘‘(8) NOTICE
TO
REGISTERED
PUTATIVE
FA-
THERS.—Each putative father identified by a certifi-
cate of search issued in response to a request under 
paragraph (4)(A) shall be provided notice in such 
form and manner, and subject to such time limits, 
as specified by the law of the forum State of any of 
the following unless and until the putative father’s 
rights to the child have been terminated: 
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‘‘(A) A proceeding related to a pending or 
planned adoption of a child the putative father 
has, or may have, fathered. 
‘‘(B) A proceeding to terminate the puta-
tive father’s rights to a child. 
‘‘(C) A proceeding related to the entry of 
a child the putative father has, or may have, fa-
thered into State custody. 
‘‘(D) Establishment of paternity. 
‘‘(9) CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION.— 
‘‘(A) ISSUANCE.—Within 2 business days 
of receipt of information transmitted by a State 
under section 444(d), the Secretary shall issue 
by mail a certificate of registration to the indi-
vidual registered. 
‘‘(B) EFFECT OF CERTIFICATION.—A cer-
tificate issued under this section shall serve as 
evidence that a putative father has registered 
with a State Putative Father Registry request-
ing that he receive notice of a proceeding to es-
tablish paternity of, of a proceeding to termi-
nate the putative father’s rights to, or of a pro-
ceeding related to a planned or pending adop-
tion of a child the putative father has or may 
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have fathered, or of the entry of such a child 
into State custody. 
‘‘(b) NATIONAL MEDIA EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN.— 
The Secretary shall establish a nationwide responsible fa-
therhood and putative father registry educational cam-
paign that is designed— 
‘‘(1) to inform men of the existence of the Na-
tional Putative Father Registry, the advantages of 
registering with a State Putative Father Registry, 
and the rights and responsibilities of putative fa-
thers; and 
‘‘(2) to inform women of the existence of the 
National Putative Father Registry and the potential 
role of that registry in a pending or planned adop-
tion or a termination of the rights of a putative fa-
ther. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, 
such sums as are necessary for fiscal year 2011 and each 
fiscal year thereafter. 
‘‘SEC. 442. GRANTS TO STATES TO PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE 
FATHERHOOD. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS TO STATES.—Subject to subsection (b), 
the Secretary shall make grants to eligible States for the 
purpose of— 
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‘‘(1) assisting States in developing, establishing, 
and operating programs that are designed— 
‘‘(A) to improve the protection of the 
rights of responsible unwed fathers in legal pro-
ceedings involving a planned or pending adop-
tion, the termination of a father’s rights to a 
biological child, or the entry of a child into the 
State child welfare system; 
‘‘(B) to improve the laws and regulations 
involving the pre-birth abandonment of a child 
by the biological father and abandonment of a 
child by the biological father subsequent to 
birth; 
‘‘(C) to assist mothers in making respon-
sible plans for their children’s future; and 
‘‘(D) to protect the privacy and safety of 
birth mothers and fathers; and 
‘‘(2) reimbursing States for any costs incurred 
in meeting the requirements of this subpart. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary 
may not make a grant to a State under this section unless 
the State demonstrates to the Secretary that the State 
has— 
‘‘(1) a State plan in effect that has been ap-
proved by the Secretary under section 443; 
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‘‘(2) established, or agreed to establish, a State 
Putative Father Registry under section 444; and 
‘‘(3) implemented or has agreed to implement— 
‘‘(A) a law on pre-birth abandonment and 
abandonment subsequent to birth under section 
445(a); 
‘‘(B) a State media educational campaign 
under section 445(b); and 
‘‘(C) adoption laws under section 445(c). 
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec-
essary for fiscal year 2009 and each fiscal year thereafter 
for purposes of awarding grants to States under this sec-
tion. 
‘‘SEC. 443. STATE PLAN FOR PROMOTING RESPONSIBLE FA-
THERHOOD AND PERMANENCY FOR CHIL-
DREN. 
‘‘Each State that desires to receive a grant under sec-
tion 442 shall develop and implement a State plan for pro-
moting responsible fatherhood and permanency for chil-
dren that— 
‘‘(1) has been approved by the Secretary; 
‘‘(2) shall be in effect in all political subdivi-
sions of the State; 
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‘‘(3) establishes or designates a single organiza-
tional unit within the State that meets such staffing 
and organizational requirements as the Secretary 
may prescribe to administer the State plan and the 
State Putative Father Registry required under sec-
tion 444; 
‘‘(4) provides services to children of unwed par-
ents related to the identification of putative fathers 
and the making of permanent custody arrangements 
for those children; 
‘‘(5) provides for the establishment of coopera-
tive agreements between the State and appropriate 
agencies, such as courts, hospitals, and law enforce-
ment agencies, to assist the organizational unit es-
tablished or designated under paragraph (3) to ad-
minister the State plan by making available putative 
father registry registration forms for mailing by pu-
tative fathers to such organizational unit; 
‘‘(6) provides assurances that the State will, in 
accordance with standards prescribed by the Sec-
retary, cooperate with other States and the Federal 
Government to assist individuals in their efforts to 
locate and provide notice to putative fathers; 
‘‘(7) provides for a process of annual reviews 
and reports to the Secretary on the State plan im-
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plemented under this section, including such infor-
mation as may be necessary to measure compliance 
with the requirements under this subpart; 
‘‘(8) provides that the State will establish and 
maintain a State Putative Father Registry that 
meets the requirements of section 444 or will modify 
and maintain an existing registry to meet such re-
quirements; 
‘‘(9) provides for a process under which a reg-
istered putative father will receive notice at the ad-
dress provided to the registry, within State deter-
mined guidelines and time-limits, of a proceeding to 
establish the paternity of, of a proceeding to termi-
nate the putative father’s rights to, or of a pro-
ceeding related to a planned or pending adoption of 
a child the putative father has or may have fathered, 
or of the entry of such a child into State custody; 
‘‘(10) amends the State long-arm jurisdictional 
statute to ensure that personal jurisdiction is estab-
lished for a father registered with the National Pu-
tative Father Registry established under section 
441(a); and 
‘‘(11) provides that the State will establish pro-
cedures, if not already in place, to protect the safety 
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and privacy of mothers, including those who have 
been the victims of violence. 
‘‘SEC. 444. STATE PUTATIVE FATHER REGISTRIES. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
each State that desires to receive a grant under sec-
tion 442 shall provide assurances to the Secretary 
that the State will establish and maintain an auto-
mated putative father registry that meets the suc-
ceeding requirements of this section. 
‘‘(2) EXISTING STATE PUTATIVE FATHER REG-
ISTRIES.—A State that has a putative father reg-
istry in existence on the date of enactment of this 
subpart and desires to receive a grant under section 
442 shall provide assurances to the Secretary that 
the State will, not later than 180 days from the last 
day of the first regular session of the State legisla-
ture that begins after the date of enactment of this 
subpart, modify the registry to the extent necessary 
for the registry to meet the succeeding requirements 
of this section with respect to putative fathers who 
register with the State on or after that day. For 
purposes of the previous sentence, in the case of a 
State that has a 2-year legislative session, each year 
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of the session is considered to be a separate, regular 
session of the State legislature. 
‘‘(b) REGISTRATION WITH THE STATE PUTATIVE 
FATHER REGISTRY.— 
‘‘(1) 
SUBMISSION
OF
INFORMATION.—The 
State shall establish procedures under which the pu-
tative father of such child may submit the informa-
tion described in subsection (c) to the State for the 
purpose of including such information in the registry 
established or modified and maintained under sub-
section (a). Such procedures shall provide that, in 
order for the putative father to be entitled to notice 
of any of the proceedings identified in section 
441(a)(8), the putative father must submit informa-
tion for inclusion in the State registry within State- 
determined time limits. 
‘‘(2) VERIFICATION.—The procedures estab-
lished under paragraph (1) shall include a means to 
verify that the information submitted by a putative 
father is his own personal information and that it is 
true and correct to the best of his knowledge. 
‘‘(c) CONTENTS.—With respect to a child, the reg-
istry established or modified and maintained under sub-
section (a) shall contain the following information: 
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