AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 13, 2026

AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 25, 2026

AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 20, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

96

Introduced by Senator Seyarto

(Coauthors: Senators Alvarado-Gil, Dahle, Jones, Ochoa Bogh, and Wahab)

February 19, 2026

An act to amend Section 102635 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to vital records.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law requires the State Registrar to establish a new birth certificate upon receipt of a report of adoption or a readoption order, as specified.

This bill would require the State Registrar to establish a new birth certificate pursuant to the provisions above within 11 weeks upon receipt of a report of adoption or a readoption order. If the State Registrar determines that the report of adoption or readoption order is incomplete, the bill would require the State Registrar to notify the court that issued the report of adoption or readoption order, or the applicant as the State Registrar deems necessary, within 14 weeks requesting the required documentation, and would require the State Registrar to establish a new birth certificate within 11 weeks of receipt of the required documentation. If the required documentation is not received within 90 calendar days after the court or applicant is notified, the bill would authorize the State Registrar to return the incomplete report of adoption or readoption order to the applicant for resubmission.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 102635 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

102635.

(a) A new birth certificate shall be established by the State Registrar within 11 weeks upon receipt of either of the following:

(1) A report of adoption from any court of record that has jurisdiction of the child in this state, another state, the District of Columbia, in any territory of the United States, or in any foreign country, for any child born in California and whose certificate of birth is on file in the office of the State Registrar.

(2) A readoption order issued pursuant to Section 8919 of the Family Code.

(b) If the State Registrar determines that a report of adoption or readoption order is incomplete, the State Registrar shall notify the court that issued the report of adoption or readoption order, or the applicant as the State Registrar deems necessary, within 14 weeks to request the missing required documentation. The State Registrar shall establish a new birth certificate within 11 weeks of receipt of the required documentation. If the required documentation is not received within 90 calendar days after the court or applicant is notified, the State Registrar may return the incomplete report of adoption or readoption order to the applicant for resubmission.