Bastard Nation offers our belated congratulations to Class Bastard Virginia for the enactment of HB301, a bill that restores the right of all Virginia-born adoptees to their Original Birth Certificates without restrictions or conditions. Virginia’s OBC sealing came late to the state (1976), and we are thrilled that it is in the top tier of states to acknowledge the error made by former lawmakers and to restore OBC access
HB301 passed the House 84-10 on January 28 and 28-12 on March 11. Governor Abigail Spanberger signed in on April 13. (as expected). It goes into effect on July 1, 2026.
This victory has been a real journey with detours and plenty of red lights along the way. The Virginia Adoptee Rights Alliance did a bang-up job of pushing it through, as is did lead sponsors Del Karina Callsen (D); Del Debra Gardner(D); and Del Wendell Walker. (R) . The lesson: Never Give Up!
Over the years I have always included this story in our Virginia testimonies and letters—a story that illustrates the disrespect that Virginia OBC hoarders subjected adoptees to and the ridiculous arguments some presented to keep birth records out of the hands of those to whom they belong. From this year’s testimony:
This is a real-life story told to me a few years ago by a Virginia-born woman adopted at birth. At the time of this incident, she was living in Cleveland, Ohio, and had two young daughters suffering from a serious illness, which doctors, believed was genetically related. They could not diagnose the illness with any certainty without continued extensive and expensive testing. They supported her request to the State of Virginia to release her adoption information in an attempt to build a family medical history.
The adoptee took a couple of days off from work and drove, with her girls, to an appropriate office in Virginia When she attempted to submit her request a clerk refused to file it saying “When you agreed to be adopted, you agreed that your records would be sealed.” This kind of ignorance, arrogance, and treatment of adopted people is unacceptable.
I don’t know what happened to this woman, but I hope she knows that she will soon be able to obtain her OBC and that the verbal abuse she received and reported to us played a role in fixing the law.
Passage of HB301 hasn’t gotten much media attention, but here are links to 3 stories. I am sure more coverage will appear as July 1 approaches.
It means everything’: Adoption bill spurred by Mark Spain passes state legislature, WSET-TV, March 5, 2026
Restoring identity: Virginia grants adoptees access to original birth records, WSET-TV, April 14, 2026
Spanberger signs bill giving Virginia adoptees access to birth certificates, WSET,/MSN, April 14, 2026
Instructions on how to apply for OBCs have not been published, but when thaccess to birth certificates, MSN, April 14, 20ey are, we’ll post them here.
Once again: Congratulations Virginia!
Virginia Adoptee Rights Alliance
Bastard Nation Viginia State Page
Bastard Nation 2026 Legislative Page
New York Adoptee Rights Coalition
