Unsealed January 15, 2020
Access Status: Unsealed
We have updated our New York State Page to reflect the big changes in 2020. The page has now been divided into this front page and four other pages for easier reading.
Front Page (General Information, Access, NYS Adoption History, History, Links – 2007-2017
A2019 Action Alerts, Testimony, Statements, and Media
Media, Photo, Video Gallery – 2019 Campaign
Signing/Enactment to 2019-January 14, 2020
New York Opening and Beyond — January 15, 2020 – current
Media, Photo, Video Gallery – Opening Day – January 15, 2020
Photo Gallery: Beyond Opening Day
New York Adoptee Rights Coalition Post-Opening FAQs, How-to Posts, Updates on Processing , etc.
Access:
Unrestricted access for all adoptees 18 years and over, deceased adoptee’s direct descendant, and legal representative of adoptee.
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IMPORTANT: How to apply for OBC
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Born outside the 5 boroughs: See here
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Born in the 5 boroughs: See here
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Born outside of NYS, but adopted in the state: Born Outside, Adopted In, NYARC
Send us a picture of you and your OBC: maddogmarley@att.net or directly to the BN Social FB page with a note to post it here. Feel free to add a line or two about how you feel about it. We will post it to our Photo Gallery: Beyond Opening Day page.
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Through a special arrangement with the Adoptee Rights Law Center, Bastard Nation is linking our individual state pages to ARLC state access law links and summaries. In addition. our state pages include information specific to Bastard Nation actions and activities in each state and about current OBC access.
Read about current OBC access legislation with links to current and past years bills at our”Keep Informed” legislative pages (middle sidebar.)
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- 2022 Legislation: A5141 (OBC though state is already free)
- 2021 Legislation: A5141(OBC, though state is already free)
- 2019 Legislation
- A2691
- S2222
- S24492
- S2494
- S3419
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Historical Documents
compiled by Toff Philippo
New York Open Birth Certificate (OBC) Tour
- Joint Public Hearing: Sealed Adoption Records and the Search for Identity, Albany, New York, April 28, 1976 (includes testimony by Lorraine Dusky and B J Lifton)
- New York State Department of Social Services – Adoption Option Concept Paper – January 1992 by Toff Philippo
- Legislative Committee Hearings on Adoptee Rights in New York State in 1976 and 2014 by Toff Philippo (ebook and hardcopy)
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New York Greens Include Adoptee Rights in its Platform
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Links 2007-2017
- Cuomo vetoes bill that would’ve paved path for adopted kids to get their birth certificates. New York Daily News, December 29, 2017
- Governor Cuomo vetoes discriminatory New York State adoption bill, Donaldson Adoption Institute, December 29, 2017
- Veto Memo, AB5036b, Andrew Cuomo, December 29, 2017
- Cuomo faces Saturday deadline on birthparent bill, WWNY-TV. Watertown, New York, December 28, 2017
- Donaldson Letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo re: A05036A/S04851-B, Donaldson Adoption Institute, December 22, 2017
- Veto New York’s Bad Bill, July 6, 2017 (joint letter to Gov Cuomo from 45 adoptee rights/adoption reform organizations including Bastard Nation
- Adoption Institute Facebook statement, August 16, 2017
- Another Voice: Cuomo must veto flawed adoptee bill. Doris Michol Sippel, Buffalo News, July 14,
- Rise with Us (video) by Greg Luce, July 11, 2017
- Give adopted people unencumbered access to origins, April Dunwoodie, CEO Donaldson Adoption Institute, Albany Times-Union, July 10, 2017
- Adoptees; bid for access to birth certificate stirs debate, Associated Press, July 8, 2017 (national and international syndication)
- Governor should sign adoption bill, Watertown Daily Times, June 30, 2017
- Bastard Nation Action Alert: URGENT: New York A5036B: Join the voices of adoptees and allies across the country. Please sign letter to Andrew Cuomo to veto bill, June 29, 2017
- Let’s do some New York Math, Greg Luce, Adoptee Rights Blog, June 28, 2017
- Donaldson Adoption Institute Letter to Gov. Cuomo urging veto, June 27, 2017. (signatories: DAI, North Amerian Council of Adoptable Children, Voice for Adoption, Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York, Childhood League of America.
- Secrets and Lies New York Style. June 26, 2017
- Gov. Cuomo facing a crucial decision on bill that makes it easier for adoptees to obtain birth records, New York Daily News, June 26, 2017
- Profiles in Courage: Thank 2 NY assembly members who stood up publicly for adoptee rights, June 25, 201
- Bastard Nation Action Alert, Write Gov Cuomo Today. Veto A5036/S4845, June 22, 2017
- Bastard Nation Action Alert, NY A5036b/S4845b. Emergency. Contact Senate today Vote scheduled for tomorrow. Kill the bill!, June 20, 2017
- Bastard Nation.NYAE Action Secondary Alert, June 19, 2017
- Bastard Nation/NYSAE Action Alert Vote No on A5036b/S4845b, June 15, 2017
- Bastard Nation/NYAE Action Alert–Kill the Bill, May 17, 2017
- The Nutso World of New York Adoptee Rights, Greg Luce, Adoptee Rights Law Blog, May 12, 2017
- Bastard Nation Statement in Opposition to NY5036. The Same Old Same Old, February 28, 2017
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- Letter to New York General Assembly: Vote No AB2901C, by Marley Greiner, Exe, Chair Bastard Nation, Daily Bastarette, June 3, 2016
- Bastard Nation Action Alert: NY A2901C: Redactions, CIs, parental consent–and more! Vote NO . March 5, 2016
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- New York: S5964: Bastard Nation Letter to Acting Rules Chair Sen. John J Flanagan. Do not take up and consider. June 25, 2015
- NEW YORK: URGENT: Do Not Take Up and Consider NY S5964, June 23, 2015
- Action Alert: New York clean bills amended to redact birthparent names. Let the bills die. Contact NY Leg today, June 19, 2015
- NEW YORK Bastard Nation Letter to NY Health Committee Chair Richard Gottfried: Return A2901A to Health, June 18, 2015
- NEW YORK: Bastard Nation Action Alert to NY Senate. Vote NO on S5964-2015, June 17, 2015
- NEW YORK: Bastard Nation’s Letter to the New York Assembly, Do Not Pass A2901A-2015, June 16, 2015
- NEW YORK: Bastard Nation Action Alert. Vote No on A2901A-2015!, June 16, 2015
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- Welcome to the Battle! New York Green Party Adoption Reform, Daily Bastadette, March 18, 2014
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- James Lane for New York City Advocate: Vote for one of us. This is how we win. Daily Bastardette. November 3, 2013
- Our Future is in Our Hands. A Message from Ron Morgan. Daily Bastardette, September 12, 2013
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- “Anonymity” the new confidentiality, Daily Bastardette, November 19. 2007
Updated: January 10, 2022
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Adopted june 1943,buffalo ny.
Private adoption,farher was possibly from buffalo or stationes there
Mother was in good health,protestant and possibly irish
I have had my birth certificate and adoption records redacted I legally should be able to obtain my records period graham windjammer adoption agency you should be ashamed of yourselves period
Born in 1946 in rome by my birth certificate is in the county clerks office as my birth mother named me giving me my father’s name .I have no adoption papers and grew up with my adopted parents name and only have a baptism certificate case was never sealed . Names involved sigler/mosely/
Since law changed in ny i found out my mother was eileen mae wheeler from hornell ny.at the time of my birth she resided in youngstown ny.in eatly she was working at fort niagara base exchange.i am 77 and never thought i would get info before i die.my thanks to all who worked to change this ancient law.
Thanks for writing, Gary. New York has been such a struggle for so many years, Winning, though limited to NY right now, shows that we can win with solidarity and cooperation. I am so glad that you were able to get your information. Ancient law is right! On to other states now. What are they so afraid of!
Found birth mother thanks to ny legislation.i am 77 years old and almost all the family has passed away,but at last i know their names.i am attempting to get a picture from the national archives annex she worked at fort niagara exchange in 194but due tto the virus the annex was shut down.thanks again for all who worked to change law
After finding birth mother[change in ny adoption laws]thru the internet i found 3 living sisters and 1 deceased brother.talkrd to sister for first time fri.she did not know i existed.
Keep up the good work
Keep me updated, please; I’m new to the adoption community and would be interested in contributing more….