Adoptees in New York Gain Access to Sealed Birth Records
By Jennifer Borjes
Senate bill S2492A will grant adopted individuals over age 18 the right to access their previously sealed birth certificates. The bill was approved in June of 2019, signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in Nov. of that same year, and has come into effect as of Jan. 15.
Laura Robak, a sophomore attending the College of New Rochelle, was adopted by her mother as a young child. Robak, who was born in Romania, has interacted with her biological family in the past, “I think it’s great. I mean everyone should have the right to know who their parents are. I’m all for it.”
Access to one’s birth certificate will provide adoptees with information on their family’s origins, histories, and medical backgrounds. Prior to the passing of this new law, an adoptee would need to petition in court to have their certificate released and, even then, if their biological parents both refused to sign, would not be granted access. This restriction has been in place since 1936.
When asked what led to his decision, Gov. Cuomo said, “Every person has the right to know where they come from, and this new law grants all New Yorkers the same unrestricted rights to their original birth records.”
This new law will allow adoptees to learn more about their backgrounds which can help with medical diagnosis. There has been little reported pushback to the law, however Robak added, “I can also understand parents who don’t want their children to know they were put up for adoption. It can be a very sensitive topic. In my family we have been very open about it so it’s not a big deal.”
There has been little opposition to the new bill. With the introduction of this new law, New York will become the tenth state to allow adoptees unrestricted access to their sealed birth certificates. No birth certificates will be issued in person or via email, adoptees will have to wait for the documents to arrive via regular mail. In order to apply for one’s certificate, adoptees will need to contact the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
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