The new UPA reverses that approach by accepting the importance and utility of a parentage registry to facilitate infant adoptions. Under circumstances in which the mother consents to the adoption of her infant child, time is of the essence in placing an infant with the adoptive parents. Therefore, resort to the constitutionally approved paternity registry system is appropriate. But, the Act limits the effect of the registry to cases in which a child is less than one year of age at the time of the court hearing, see § 405, infra. This recognizes the need to expedite infant adoptions, while properly protecting the rights of those nonmarital fathers who may not have registered, but instead have established some relationship with the child following birth. This gives the nonmarital father the opportunity to step forward to accept the responsibilities of parenthood, while not derailing infant adoptions. Requiring notification to the alleged father of a proceeding when the child has reached one year of age or more will not unduly delay the placement of an older child. Further, this Act excepts from the registration requirement a man who timely initiates a proceeding for paternity, notwithstanding his failure to register.

Article 1

General Provisions

§1871.__Establishment of registry

The State Registrar of Vital Statistics shall establish a registry of paternity within the Office of Data Research and Vital Statistics.

§1872.__Registration for notification