§ 20-18-702 - Creation. - Arkansas Statutes

20-18-702. Creation.

(a) (1) There is established in the Division of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services a Putative Father Registry.

(2) The purpose of the registry is to entitle putative fathers to notice of legal proceedings pertaining to the child for whom the putative father has registered.

(3) A putative father shall establish a significant custodial, personal, or financial relationship with the child before the putative father's rights attach.

(b) (1) Upon receipt of a written statement signed and acknowledged by the registrant before a notary public, the registry shall record the following information:

(A) The name, address, and Social Security number of any person who claims to be the father of a child for whom paternity is not presumed or has not been established by a court;

(B) The name, last known address, and Social Security number, if known, of the mother of the child;

(C) The name of the child, if born, and the location and date of birth, if known; and

(D) The date and time of receipt, which the division shall note on the written statement signed and acknowledged by the registrant.

(2) (A) The division shall provide a form to be used by the registrant.

(B) There shall be no fee required of the registrant to file the affidavit.

(c) The registry may accept the information prior to the birth of the child or at any time prior to the filing of a petition for adoption.

(d) The registry shall forward a copy of the information to the mother as notification that the person has registered with the registry.

(e) The registry shall maintain cross-reference indices by the name of the mother and the name of the child, if known.