Virginia
Sealed: 1976
Access Status: Sealed
- Adoptees age 18 or older can request identifying information from the Virginia Department of Social Services, which investigates the matter and takes into account “birth family” concerns about the release
- If request is denied adoptees can appeal
- In parental placement adoptions, where the consent to the adoption was executed on or after July 1, 1994, the entire adoption record shall be open to the adoptive parents, the adoptee who is 18years of age or older, and a birth parent who executed a written consent to the adoption
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.
Read about current OBC access legislation with links to current and past years bills at our”Keep Informed” legislative pages (middle sidebar.)
- 2024 Legislation: HB550 (OBC)
- 2023 Legislation: HB1969 (OBC)
- 2022 Legislation: HB16/SB63 (Safe Haven) HB50 (Safe Haven Baby Boxes)
- 2021 Legislation: HB 1371 (Safe Haven Baby Boxes)
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LINKS
2024
- Bastard Nation Submitted Testimony for HB550, January 18, 2024. Same letter to entire Virginia House of Delegates, January 27, 2024
- Virginia: House of Delegates Passes HB550. On to the Senate! Bastard Nation, January 30, 2024
2023
- Virginia: Bastard Nation Submitted Testimony in Support of HB1869, January 19, 2023
Updated: January 30, 2024
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Is there a known organization that is working the VA State Legislature on the opening of sealed birth records?
Not that we know of. About 15 years ago a group worked for a while and got nowhere. If a bill is dropped in VA you will read about it here. Thanks do writing.
See above. There is now!