We do all the tedious work so you don’t have to.
All information is taken from official state legislative pages unless otherwise indicated. We also link each bill to LegiScan, an easy way to check on bills. For more information on these bills, click on the appropriate links. Go to individual State Pages for more details on state actions. such as Action Alerts, testimonies, reports, and news stories. BN submits testimony and letters regularly to legislatures, but these documents will not go live until after a hearing or floor vote has taken place. Depending on state rules, some bills may be renumbered during sessions or when they are carried over from a previous session. Reported by Marley Greiner (additions and corrections are welcome!)
Prior legislative sessions: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014
2024 State Legislative Schedules and dates
Original Birth Certificate and Adoption Records
Summary: Carried over from 2023. An unbelievably horrible reactionary bill, filed out of nowhere, that needs to be killed ASAP. While it takes some language from current New York unrestricted law, it turns around and retains court procedures to obtain the OBC. AND, adds birthparent redaction authority perspective AND retroactive. The state’s analysis of the bill, which includes opposition arguments, is here. A January 3, 2024, hearing in the Assembly Judiciary Committee was canceled by bill sponsor Lackey. Due to extreme legislative timeline restraints, the bill is most likely on life support or dead.
Sponsor: Assembly Member Tom Lackey
Support:
Oppose: Bastard Nation, CalOpen Partners, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, American Adoption Congress, Concerned United Birthparents, California Alliance for Adoptee Rights
Action
February 16, 2023: Introduced; 1st reading. Referral pending, but may be heard in a committee on March 19, 2023
March 21, 2023: Hearing scheduled in House Judiciary Committee; Cancelled at request of sponsor
April 18, 2023: Scheduled for Assembly Judiciary Committee hearing. Pulled by the author, but will most likely return for the 2024 session.
January 4, 2024: Scheduled hearing in Assembly Judiciary Committee canceled by bill sponsor; bill is on life support or dead.
January 23, 2024: Reporeted DEAD.
Summary of SB1274. This is a short, sweet, and eloquent bill that restores the right of all California-born adoptees to their Original Birth certificates upon request. It strikes out all discriminatory language. The heart of the bill reads: Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the State Registrar shall provide to an adopted person who is 18 years of age or older and who was born in this state, or to a direct line descendant of a deceased adopted person, a copy of the adopted person’s original birth certificate and any evidence of the adoption previously filed with the State Registrar.
Sponsor: Sen Susan Talamantes Eggman
Support: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, American Adoption Congress, California Alliance for Adoptee Rights
Oppose:
Actions
February 15, 2024: Introduced; 1st reading; Referred to SenateCommittee on RLS for assignment
February 29. 2024: Referred to Health and Judiciary Committees
April 24, 2024: Hearing scheduled in Senate Health Committee
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Summary: Carried over from 2023. Unrestricted access for all Georgia-born adoptees at the age of 18. It also applies to an adopted person’s parent, sibling, or descendant, if the adoptee is deceased. Bill passed the Senate but didn’t get a floor vote before the end of the session.
Sponsor: Sen Randy Robertson
Support: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, American Adoption Congress, Georgia Alliance for Adoptee Rights, and many others.
Oppose:
Actions
February 2, 2023: Filed
February 2, 2023; 1st reading; Referred to Senate Children and Families Committee
February 28, 2023: Hearing in Senate Children and Families Committee; voted Do Pass unanimously; Sent to Senate Rules Committee
March 6. 2023: Senate floor vote; Passed 54-0
March 7, 2023: House 1st reading
March 8, 2023: House 2nd reading
March 14, 2023: Passed House Judiciary Committee unanimously
March 29, 2023 House withdrew and recommitted (failed to come for a vote before session closed)
March 13, 2024: House Judiciary Committee reported favorably
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HB544 Legiscan
Summary of HB544, For every good bill we get running, a crap bill shows up to whack-a-mole it–like this bill. This bill goes beyond dumpster fire.
This legislation makes birth records available to adoptees who were adopted before July 1, 2022, once they reach 40 years of age. That is they can ask for them. That doesn’t mean they will get them. What?????? Those adopted after that date can apply for theirs at age 18, which means the year 2040 at the earliest. I direct you to the Adoptee Rights Law Center FAQ to explain it all, but here are the highlights from the FAQ:
First, the request for your own birth certificate cannot be made directly to the vital statistics division of the Department of Health, which actually holds the record. Rather, the request is routed through Idaho’s “Voluntary Adoption Registry,” which is intended to mediate contact and sharing of information between biological relatives. That is, this law is an intermediary system rather than a straightforward “request it and get it” law.
Worse, even if the adoptee registers with the Idah Adoption Registry and a match is made with a birthparent, a 30-day “cooling off” period applies (the law calls it a “waiting period”). During that period, the registry attempts to contact the birthparent to ask if they want to complete a “contact preference form.” That form, which as of the effective date is not available online, allows the birthparent to request 1) a preferred method of contact; or 2) no contact.
BUT, hold on, there’s a third bonus option, which is to “request that the registered birth parent’s name be redacted before records are released, which request shall be effective for five (5) years.”
Thank you Greg Luce for taking the time and having the stomach to suss this out.
Sponsor: State House Affairs Committee
Support:
Oppose: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United,
Actions
February 13, 2024: Introduced; Referred to Judiciary, Rules & Administration
February 16, 2024: Reported out of House Judiciary Committee with Do Pass recommendation, Filed for 2nd reading
February 21, 2024: Passed House 46-24; Introduced in Senate; Referred to Senate Judiciary and Rules Committees
March, ND, 2024: Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee failed to recommend passage. Considered dead (Legislature adjourns on March 28, 2024).
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Summary of HB87: YA GOTTA BE DEAD! Ridiculous, demeaning, and insulting bill. Permits the child, grandchild, or sibling of a deceased birthparent or deceased adoptee to be given the right to inspect adoption papers and records, but live adoptees are still barred from the process. Why does anyone in 2024 think that this is a good idea? Passed House with sub bill to permit judge to determine if descendants of adoptees and birthparents can have access to OBCs on case-by-case basis. (Language changed from shall” to “may.”) Final bill passed 92-1 with an amendment that requires birthparents to be deceased before OBCs are available for release.
Sponsor: Rep John Blanton
Support:
Oppose: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United,
Actions:
January 2, 2024: Introduced; Referred to the House Committee on Committees
January 12, 2024: Referred to House Judiciary Committee
January 17, 2024: 1st Reading
January 18, 2024: 2nd Reading;
January 23, 2024: House Judiciary Committee passed sub bill to release records at a judge’s discretion.
- January 29, 2024: 3rd reading, passed 92-1 with Committee Substitute (1) and Floor Amendment: Added language to establish that both birth parents have to be deceased or provide consent before the adoption records can be inspected.
- January 30. 2024: Received by Senate; Referred to Senate Committee on Committees
February 23, 2024: Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
March 7, 2024: Reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
March 8, 2024: 2nd reading, to Rules as a consent bill posted for passage in the Consent Orders. Continues to be held over
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Carried over from 2023. These bills are tie-bared, and neither bill can be enacted into law without the enactment of the other. Both have passed House.
Summary of HB5148: A “clean bill” that allows all Michigan-born adoptees, their descendants or legal representatives to obtain the adoptee’s original birth certificate without restrictions or conditions upon request at the age of 18, The bill contains a voluntarily optional Contact Preference Form which allows biological parents to record if they would like contact but does not control the release of the OBC. Bills have passed House; currently in Senate.
Sponsor: Rep Kristan Grant
HB5148 Actions:
October 17, 2023: Introduced; 1st reading; Referred to Committee on Families, Children, and Seniors
November 8, 2023: Passed House 99-8-3. Transmitted to Senate
November 14, 2024: Referred to Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety Committee
February 29, 2024: Hearing held in Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety Committee,
Summary of SB5149: Eliminates current court and Central Adoption Registry control over the release of the OBC. It retains biological parent denial of identifying information requests already on file, BUT that request does not restrict OBC access. No release vetoes can be filed after July 1, 2024.
Sponsor: Rep Pat Outman (originally sponsored bad HB4529, but after discussion with local activists, changed his mind and came over to full access)
HB5149 Actions
October 17, 2023: Introduced; 1st reading; Referred to Committee on Transportation, Mobility and Infrastructure
October, 28. 2003: Referred to Committee on Family, Children, and Seniors
November 9, 2023: Passed House 99-8-3
Both Bills:
Support: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, American Adoption Congress. Michigan Adoptee Rights Coalition, Adoptee Advocates of Michigan, Michigan Adoption Collaborative. (March 7, 2024: Support has paused support due to massive opposition from outside organizations that came out of nowhere making passage of a clean bill mpossible. See “Oppose” below for those organizations.
Oppose: Michigan Right to Life, Michigan Coalition to End Domestic & Sexual Violence, Michigan ACLU Poverty Law Program, Family Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan,
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Summary: Unrestricted access a certified copy of the OBC for all Mississippi-born adoptees at the age of 21 (generally the age of majority in MS) “unless otherwise provided by a court.” OBC will be Marked “Cancelled and revised.” It appears this disclosure-veto-type option will be requested at the time of surrender and finalization of the adoption.
Sponsor: Sen Angela Burk Hill
Support:
Oppose: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, American Adoption Congress. to
January 16, 2024: Actions: Introduced; Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee, Division A
March 5, 2924: Died in Committee
Summary: Here we go again. 3rd session in a row. Extreme Reactionary bill.“Any adoptee eighteen (18) years of age or older may file with the bureau at any time a request to provide the adoptee with his or her original birth certificate and with any other available identifying information about a birthparent’s identity and location. Upon receipt of such request, the bureau shall contact the birthparent, regardless as to whether such parent has filed an affidavit under paragraph (a) of this subsection, to notify him or her of the request. Upon agreement from a birthparent, the bureau shall provide the requested information regarding only the parent who agreed to the release of identifying information.”
Sponsor: Rep Lee Yancy
Support:
Oppose: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, American Adoption Congress
Actions
January 16, 2024: Introduced; Referred to House Judiciary Committee, Division A
March 5. 2024: Died in committee
Summary of HB314: It’s back. What is this? The 3rd time? Extreme Reactionary bill.“Any adoptee eighteen (18) years of age or older may file with the bureau at any time a request to provide the adoptee with his or her original birth certificate and with any other available identifying information about a birthparent’s identity and location. Upon receipt of such request, the bureau shall contact the birthparent, regardless as to whether such parent has filed an affidavit under paragraph (a) of this subsection, to notify him or her of the request. Upon agreement from a birthparent, the bureau shall provide the requested information regarding only the parent who agreed to the release of identifying information.”
Sponsor: Rep Lee Yancy
Support:
Oppose: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, American Adoption Congress
Actions
January 18, 2024: Introduced; Referred to House Judiciary Division A
March 5, 2024: Died in committee
Summary of HB1029. Seriously confusing and contradictory bill full of restrictions that allows Mississippi-born adoptees who can successfully run the gauntlet of restrictions and conditions fo obtain their OBC at age 24. This age limitation of the bill seems modeled on the successful Louisiana bill, but Mississippi doesn’t have the forced heir civil code restrictions that pumped up the age to 24. Seems to contain current “right” of birthparents to refuse release of information on their identity and location but also contains CPF. CContains confused language that attempts to exempt release of the OBC from the birthparent veto, This bill may be salvageable with some changes, but we won’t on it
Sponsor: Rep Billy Adam Calvert
Support:
Oppose: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, American Adoption Congress
Actions
February 7, 2024: Introduced; Referred to House Judiciary Committee Division B
March 5, 2024: Died in committee
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Summary of A1812: Extends the issuance of New York state birth certificates to any adoptee, including intercountry, and those adopted as adults, who did not previously receive one.
Sponsor: Asm. Amy Paulin
Support: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United
Oppose:
Actions
December 29, 2023: Introduced; Referred to Asb Judiciary Committee
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Summary: Carried over from 2023. Eliminates discriminatory sections of the 2018 bill that made a travesty of OBC access. This bill replaces the bizarre arts & crafts summary of information taken from the OBC with the actual OBC; removes the requirement that the adoptee have a high school diploma or a GED; and replaces redactions by birthparents with a genuine non-binding Contact Preference Form
Support: Bastard Nation, The Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, American Adoption Congress
Oppose:
Actions
June 5, 2023: Introduced; Referred to Senate Health and Services Committee
November 13, 2023: Passed Senate Health and Services Committee; re-referred to Senate Appropriations Committee
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HB5265 Legiscan
Summary: Another insulting bill. “Releases the identity of a birthparent to an adult adopted person through the state’s mutual consent registry but only if the birthparent is dead and the adopted person provides the parent’s proof of death…Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, an adoption agency shall furnish the identity of an adoptee’s biological parent to the adoptee if the adoptee is at least eighteen years of age and furnishes the adoption agency with a certification from the Department of Public Health’s bureau of vital statistics or from an office of vital records in another jurisdiction certifying that the biological parent is deceased.”
Sponsor: Rep David Hiott
Suport:
Oppose: Bastard Nation, The Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, American Adoption Congress
Actions:
March 13, 2024: Introduced; Referred to House Judiciary Committee
Summary: Unrestricted access for all Virginia-born adoptees at the age of 18 with no restrictions or conditions.Last year, a nearly identical bill got as far as a 2nd reading in the House The only difference in this bill’s language the change from “adoptee” to “adopted person.”
Sponsor: Pat. Wendell Walker
Support: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, Capitol Adoptee Rights Coalition, Children’s Home Society of Virginia, C2 Adoptions, Virginia Adoptee Rights Alliance
Oppose:
Actions
January 9, 2024: Prefiled: Referred to House Health and Human Services Committee
January 17, 2024: Referred to House Social Services Subcommittee
January 18, 2024: HSS Subcommittee recommends reporting and referral to House Appropriations Committee
January 23, 2024: House Social Services Committee passes bill out of committee 16-6
January 25, 2024: 1st reading in House
January 26, 2024: 2nd reading. Possible 3rd reading and vote as early as January 29, 2024
January 29, 2024: 3rd reading; passed House 66-32
January 30, 2024: Referred to Senate Education and Health Committee
February 15, 2024: Referred to Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee
March 1, 2024: Continued to 2025
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Summary: How many times does this and similar bill have to be filed? The same confusing restrictive legislation we’ve seen for years is back. Requires adoptees 21 years of age and older to apply and be unsuccessful in obtaining their identifying information from the state’s mutual consent registry before they can apply for their OBC Contains petition process, good cause determination, and more confusing language. Also requires adoptees to complete “one hour of counseling with a social worker or social service worker employed by the Department’s registry” as part of trying to obtain the OBC through the registry. Does nothing to restore rights. Stop the insanity!
Sponsor: Del Josh Holstein
Support:
Oppose: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, American Adoption Congress,
Actions:
January 16, 2024: Introduced; Referred to House Judiciary Committee
March 9, 2024: Dead Sine Die
Summary: Another repeat of a repeat of a reactionary bill. OBCs are redacted by default. Authorizes release of OBC to West Virginia-born adoptees 18 years of age and older and their lineal descendants. Adoptee must have graduated from high school, completed a “Test Assessing Secondary Completion Program, or has legally withdrawn from second schooling. includes CPF that does not to affect the release of OBC, but also includes a redaction request, which turns into a Zombie Veto in the event of the bparent’s death–form to allow parent(s) to request name be redacted from released OBC. This bill passed the Senate last year but timed out in the House and appears to be fast-tracked. WARNING: This bill is titled: Making adoption records accessible for medical purposes
Sponsor: Sen Mike Azinger
Oppose: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, American Adoption Congress,
Actions
January 10, 2024: Introduced; 1st reading
January 11, 2024: 2nd reading
March 9, 2024: Dead Sine Die
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Summary: Carried over from 2023. This bill expands access to original impounded birth records, allowing an adoptee whose original birth record has been impounded to receive an uncertified copy of that impounded record upon request once the adoptee is 18 years of age. The bill separates OBC access from the state’s current complex intermediary procedure to gain the OBC via permission of birthparents. Although the bill is still live, it is unclear what its status will be in 2024.
Support: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, American Adoption Congress, Adoptee Equal Rights Task Force Wisconsin
Oppose:
Actions
January 27, 2023: 1st reading; Referred to Senate Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Children and Families Committee
December 8, 2023: Will carry over to 2024, but is unofficially dead
Traditional Safe Haven Bills
Summary of S790/H775. Amends current SH law to change the term “newborn infant” to “infant”; increases the age at which a child is considered an infant for SH purposes; authorizes a parent to use 911 pick-up. For some reason Monica Kelsey, founder/CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes threw a social media tantrum about an unidentified bill but appears to be this one claiming that it would “shut down baby boxes in Florida.” If there is another baby box bill in the hopper that she could be talking about, we can’t find it.
Sponsor: Sen Clay Yarborough, Rep Jennifer Canady
Actions on SB790
December 7, 2023: Prefiled
December 15, 2023: Referred to Senate Health Policy Committee, Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee, Rules Committee
January 9, 2024 Introduced
January 16, 2024: Voted favorable in Senate Health Policy Committee 7-1; Now in Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee
January 30, 2024: Hearing scheduled in Senate Children, Families, and Elder Affairs Committee; Passed Favorable 7-0
February 8, 2024: Senate Rules Committee; Passed favorable 19-0
February 21, 2024: Laid on Table
March 8., 2024, Dead. Dine Die
Actions on H775
December 27, 2023: Introduced; Referred to House Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee
January 9, 2023: 1st reading; Added Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee agenda
January 11, 2024: Passed favorable out of Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee; Committee; now in House Human Services Committee
January 23, 2024: Reported favorable with CS by Health and Human Services Committee
February 15, 2024: Passed CS 117-0
Both Bills:
Support:
Oppose:
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Summary of SB2977. Amends the Adoption Act. Allows any person 21 years of age or over who was relinquished under the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act or who had a birth certificate issued under specified provisions of the Vital Records Act to petition for the appointment of a confidential intermediary. Requires the confidential intermediary to provide such a petitioner with a DNA test kit upon request with no fee. Allows a petitioner to use the remedy in the Adoption Act for a missing or lost original birth certificate to be used for missing or lost birth certificate issued under specified provisions of the Vital Records Act. Does not contain a means for the adoptee to obtain additional information or records without the consent of the biological relatives being sought.
Sponsor: Sen Sara Feigenholtz
Support:
Oppose:
Actions
January 31, 2024: Introduced; 1st reading; Referred to Senate Assignment Committee
February 6, 2024: Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee
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SB60 – Walks back sections of a bill passed last year that pertains to traditional SH and Safe Haven Baby Box law and practice. Go to Stop Safe Haven Baby Boxes Now Legislative website for details. Dead.
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Summary: Carried over from 2023. Allows the permanency planning and hearing and termination of parental rights hearing to occur at the same proceeding with exceptions.
Sponsor: Rep G Murrell Smith, Jr
Support:
Oppose:
Actions
January 10, 2023: Introduced; Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary
March 29, 2023: Committee on the Judiciary reported favorably
April 4, 2023: Passed House 111-0
April 5, 2023: Sent to Senate; 1st reading; Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
April 20, 2023: Referred to (no name) subcommittee
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Summary: Carried over from 2023. Consent is required of the Department of Social Services as the child placing agency if the child was voluntarily left with a safe haven
Sponsor: Rep G Murrell Smith, Jr
Support: Oppose:
Actions
January 10, 2023: Introduced; Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary
March 29, 2023: Committee on the Judiciary reported favorably with amendment
April 4, 2023: Recommitted to House Judiciary Committee
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Summary. Carried over from 2023. Increases age that infant can be safe havened to 6 months.
Sponsor: Rep Heather Ammons Crawford
Support:
Oppose: Bastard Nation, Adoptee Rights Law Center, Adoptees United, Stop Safe Haven Baby Boxes Now
Actions
May 30, 2023: Introduced; 1st reading; Referred to House Judiciary Committee
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Wyoming
Summary of SB18: Requires compliance with Wyoming Indian Child Welfare Act; SH provider shall ask the parent or the parent’s designee whether the child has any tribal affiliation or Native American ancestry, and request relevant information to determine the child’s tribe.
Sponsor: Select Tribal Relations Committee
Support: Bastard Nation,
Oppose
Actions:
December 14, 2023: Prefiled
January 24, 2024: Received for introduction
February 13, 2024: Introduced; Referred to Senate Travel Committee
February 16, 2024: Recommended Do Pass by Senate Travel Committee, 4-0-1-0-0
February 22, 2024: Passed Senate 31-0
February 23, 2024: Received by House;
February 25, 2024: Referred to House Revenue Committee
February 27, 2024: Passed Revenue Committee 9-0
March 1, 2024: Passed House 56-2, 2024
March 7, 20924: Signed by Governor
Safe Haven Baby Box Bills
Many Safe Haven Baby Box bills have been introduced this year.
Please go to the Legislation Page at the top Stop Haven Baby Boxes Now! website for detailed legislative information as well as many other details, including individual state pages.
Federal Legislation
Most federal legislation does not pertain to adoptee civil rights directly, but we are featuring several bills that are connected to the activist concerns and our community.
HR1386 Equal Citizenship for Children Act of 2023–sponsored by Rep Yvette Clarke.(March7, 2023) Carried over from 2023. Currently in the House Judiciary Committee.
This bill expands the application of automatic acquisition of citizenship for certain children born outside of the United States. Specifically, the bill provides citizenship retroactively to such a child who, while under the age of 18, (1) resided in the United States as a lawful permanent resident (or had a pending application for such status), and (2) was in the legal custody of the child’s citizen parent. It also eliminates the physical custody requirement for the automatic acquisition of citizenship. The bill applies to a child meeting these requirements who was born after noon on January 9, 1941, but who turned 18 before February 27, 2001 (the effective date of the Child Citizenship Act of 2000).
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HR6700 Adoption Counts Act sponsored by Rep Doug Lamborn. (December 11, 2023). Referred to House Ways and Means Committee
Would you believe that nobody really knows how many adoptions take place in the US each year? We would! The bill intends to fix this by requiring state courts to report the number of private adoptions performed each year to the Children’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Data collected will include age at time of adoption, whether adoption is by step-parent, legal guardian, unrelated person, or gestational surrogacy. Covers domestic and international cases.
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HR6220 ADOPT Act (Adoption Deserves Oversight, Protection, and Transparency Act of 2023) sponsored by Rep Ann M Kuster. (November 11, 2023) Currently in House Judiciary Committee.
Reigns in non-licensed for-profit adoption intermediaries,aka brokers, by (1) prohibiting adoption advertising and paid private adoption services unless they are through a licensed child-placing agency or licensed attorney; and (2) restricting payments to birthmothers unless the payments are made through a licensed provider in the state where the mother lives.
Updated March 20, 2024
