HB181: HB181 Vital records; issuance of a Certificate of Foreign Birth by the state registrar without a judicial order if certain criteria is satisfied; provide

Currently, Georgia law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 10 of Title 31) generally requires a report of adoption from a Georgia court before the state registrar can issue a 'Certificate of Foreign Birth' for a child born overseas. This bill creates an exception for children who were adopted from another country by a US citizen and who automatically became US citizens under the federal Child Citizenship Act of 2000, and who already hold a federal Certificate of Citizenship. For these children, the bill lets the adoptive parent request the certificate directly from the state registrar by submitting the child's Certificate of Citizenship, certified foreign adoption documents with an English translation, a valid picture ID for the parent or parents, and proof that the parent lives in Georgia. The state registrar must create the forms needed to make these requests. The bill repeals any conflicting laws.

• Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 31-10-13.3) exempting certain foreign-adopted children from the usual court-order requirement to get a Certificate of Foreign Birth.
• Applies the exemption only to children who automatically became US citizens under the federal Child Citizenship Act of 2000 and hold a Certificate of Citizenship.
• Requires the state registrar to issue the certificate upon written request once the parent submits four specific documents: the Certificate of Citizenship, certified adoption records with translation, parent photo ID, and proof of Georgia residency.
• Directs the state registrar to create the necessary application forms for adoptive parents.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with this new process.

Adoptive parents in Georgia who adopted children from foreign countries and their adopted children who already hold federal Certificates of Citizenship, as well as the state registrar's office (part of the Department of Public Health), which processes vital records requests.

Adoptive families would be able to get a Georgia birth-related document for their internationally adopted child without going through a Georgia court, potentially saving time and legal costs, as long as they can show federal citizenship paperwork and Georgia residency.

• Section 1 adds O.C.G.A. § 31-10-13.3, exempting qualifying children from the court-order requirement in O.C.G.A. § 31-10-13.
• Subsection (b) lists the four required documents parents must submit: Certificate of Citizenship, certified and translated foreign adoption records, parent photo ID, and proof of Georgia residency.
• Subsection (c) requires the state registrar to develop forms for parents to use when requesting the certificate.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard clean-up provision.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Tabled (Senate)
2. 2026-03-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
3. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
4. 2026-01-12Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
5. 2025-04-02Senate Tabled (Senate)
6. 2025-03-18Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
7. 2025-03-13Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
8. 2025-02-24Senate Read and Referred (Senate)

• Ginny Ehrhart (R, HD-036)Primary sponsor
• Beth Camp (R, HD-135)
• Scott Hilton (R, HD-048)
• Sandy Donatucci (R, HD-105)
• Deborah Silcox (R, HD-053)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 21, 2025

   154 yea, 0 nay (13 not voting, 13 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #62

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   39 yea, 10 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Motion To Table Remaining Legislation On The Rules Calendar: Senate Vote #912

• adoption
• vital records
• citizenship
• birth certificates
• foreign adoption