States: Vermont

Vermont

Sealed: 1946

Access Status: Unsealed July 1, 2023

• All Vermont-born adoptees can obtain a certified copy of their OBC without restriction or conditions at the age of 18
• Children and descendants of adoptees can obtain a certified copy of OBC if the adoptee is deceased
• Law contains non-binding Contact Preference Form
• Court records available  by court order only via the Vermont Adoption Registry

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Vermont’s Equal Rights Law A FAQ  (Adoptee Rights Law Center)

Official Website for the Vermont Adoption Registry– information and forms

 

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.)

• Access law and extended summary  
• Vermont Legislature

 

• 2022 Legislation: H629 (OBC access); S275 (OBC/adoption records access)
• 2021 Legislation:  H 222 (study committee for OBC)
• 2020 Legislation:  H672 (OBC)

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• Vermont Officially Bastardized: Governor signs bill to restore OBC rights to all Vermont-born adoptees, Bastard Nation, May 3, 2022
• Vermont HB629: On the Cusp of OBC Restoration and Victory, Bastard Nation, April 17, 2022
• Vermont Restores Adoptee Rights After 76 Years, New England Adoptee Rights Coalition,  April 15, 2022
• VIDEO: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing,  March 23, 2022 (See selected videos below for other videos.
• Dragon et al: Adopted Vermonters deserve equal rights on birth records, Rutland Herald,  April 4, 2022 
•  Bastard Nation Submitted testimony in support of HB 629 to Senate Judiciary Committee, March 22, 2022
• Vermont H 629 passes House; on to Senate, March 18, 2022
• VIDEO: House Floor Vote, March 18, 2022 (18:00-18:40 marker)
• Final Reading: Know Thyself, Vermont Digger, March 17, 2022
• VIDEO: House Judiciary Committee Hearings on H 629. (Introduction of amendment for clean bill), March 9, 2022
• Vermont Update: (1) Bastard Nation Joins New England Adoptee Rights Coalition; (2) Last House Judiciary hearing on H 629, March 8, 2921
• VIDEO: House Judiciary Committee Hearings on HB 629. These are divided by witness.
• House Judiciary Committee Hearing on  HB629, February 23, 2022, written testimony
• Pownal woman among adoptees urging free access to birth records, Bennington Banner, February 17, 2022
• R.P. Dragon: Adoptees for Choice supports Vermont Proposal 5, VT Digger, February 1, 2022
• House Judiciary Committee Hearing on HB529, February 16, 2022, written testimony
• Vermont H 629: Bastard Nation Letter in Opposition, February 16, 2022 REVISED (Oral and Submitted)
• Submitted testimony of Rebekah Henson, February 16, 2022
• Vermont House Judiciary Committee Hearing on HB629, February 16, 2022
• Vermont House Judiciary Committee Hearing on HB629, February 15, 2022 (video)
• Vermont H629: Bastard Nation letter to House Judiciary. Let adoptees speak! #NoHearingsAboutUsWithoutUs. Bastard Nation,  February 12, 2022
• Vermont H629: Emergency Action Alert and Bastard Nation testimony or #NoHearingsAboutUsWithoutUs, Bastard Nation, February 11, 2022
• Submitted Testimony by Mary Anna King, February 11, 2022
• H629 Submitted Testimony, Comments, and Documents, on bill, Vermont House Judiciary Committee 
• Vermont House Judiciary Committee Hearing on HH629, February 11, 2022 (Video)

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• Fortuna: Why won’t the state release birth records for adopted people? VT Digger, February 3, 2021

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Updated:  July 3, 2023

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