The Senate unanimously approved legislation that contains numerous omnibus amendments to Title 15 (Corporations and Unincorporated Associations) and Title 20
(Decedents, Estate and Fiduciaries).
Senate Bill 53 affects changes to the Uniform Trust Act; the rule against perpetuities; payment of the Federal estate tax; the Uniform Principal and Income Act; rules governing the death of a party during a divorce proceeding; and powers of Attorney, among others.
The bill is now in the House.
The Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 1181. This bill would add language to the Insurance Company Law of 1921 to extend immunity from liability in the absence of fraud or bad faith to employees of insurers, self-insurers or insurance licensees who investigate insurance fraud claims when they are sharing information with other employees or other insurers who also investigate fraudulent claims.
The bill is now in the House.
The Senate unanimously approved legislation that would recognize voluntary open
adoption agreements and streamlining procedures for retrieving adoption records.
Senate Bill 1360 would allow a perspective adoptive parent to enter into a voluntary agreement with a birth relative of a child to permit continuing contact between the child and the birth relative. If the child is age 12 and older, the child’s consent would be required. The court would only approve the agreement if all parties enter voluntarily, and it is in the best interest of the child.
When there is no agreement and the adopted child wants to find out the identity of his or her birth parents, the bill provides for an authorized representative to use reasonable efforts to locate them. If the birth parent is found, he or she would have to give written authorization before the
identifying information is released.
The bill also establishes a registry for the receipt, filing and retention of medical and social history information.
The bill is now in the House.