OLR Bill Analysis

sSB 4 (File 442, as amended by House "A")*

AN ACT PROVIDING ADULT ADOPTED PERSONS WITH ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN THEIR ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATES.

SUMMARY:

This bill requires the Department of Public Health (DPH) to give adopted adults copies of their sealed original birth certificates on request. Current law bars access without a biological parent's consent or probate court order.

The bill also creates a voluntary, non-binding procedure for biological parents to complete a DPH form indicating whether they want to be contacted by their adopted children. DPH must attach completed forms to the sealed birth certificates and make them available to adult adoptees on request.

The bill applies to adoptions completed on and after October 1, 2006. Disclosure is not required until these adoptees reach at least age 21.

Finally, the bill requires DPH to tell people permitted to get copies of an adopted child's medical history record how to do so.

*House Amendment “A” raises the minimum age, from 18 to 21, for adoptee access to original birth certificates.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2006

§§ 1 & 2 — COPIES OF ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATES

The bill specifies that requests for original birth certificates may come from either the adult adopted person or, if he is deceased, any of his adult descendants. If DPH is satisfied as to the requestor's identity, it must provide access to and a copy of the sealed original birth certificate.

It must mark the copy with a notation that the birth certificate has been superseded by a replacement (see BACKGROUND). This is the same notation required when a certified copy of a sealed original is issued pursuant to a probate court order.

§ 2 — CONTACT PREFERENCE

DPH must give a contact preference form to any birth parent who requests it. The parent must indicate whether he:

DPH employees authorized to issue birth certificates must attach completed forms to the adopted person's sealed original certificate. The department may provide copies only to the (1) adult adoptee or his descendants and (2) state adoption registry.

§ 2 — HEALTH HISTORY FORMS

By law, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and adoption agencies must make reasonable efforts to compile non-identifying information about the biological parents of a child who is placed or free for adoption. This information is disclosable to adult adoptees and birth parents, among others, and may include a health history of the child's parents and blood relatives.

The bill requires DPH to tell these people how to get this information from DCF.

BACKGROUND

Sealed Birth Certificates

In most cases, DPH seals the original birth certificate when a probate court notifies it that a child born in Connecticut has been adopted. It prepares a new certificate substituting the adoptive parents' names for those appearing on the original certificate.

COMMITTEE ACTION

Select Committee on Children

Joint Favorable Substitute Change of Reference

Judiciary Committee

Joint Favorable Substitute