Bill passes allowing adoptees a chance to retrieve their deceased parents birth certificates

This bill was passed last year, but it was brought back to make additions to it.

The prior bill from last year allows adoptees the chance to obtain their original birth certificate.

The additional provision allows adoptees a chance at retrieving their deceased parents’ birth certificates.

Representative Don Phillips who birthed the bill told ABC 17 that people spend years trying to find their heritage and family members, and this really allows them the access to do so.

A bill like this has not be passed for seventy-five years and it took Phillips two years.

It really hit home for Phillips who told us he is an adoptee himself and that as a past State Trooper he was able to track down the information of his parents, but he knows many people that could never find it.

It was not an easy task to get other lawmakers on board with the bill either.

“The word adoption, it’s a poison word, and once you get past that and make it personal to everybody, find a way to make it personal because people don’t understand unless you’re an adoptee yourself,” said Phillips.

Phillips is aware that the Department of Public Health and Senior Services is on backorder and understaffed with the passing of allowing adoptees the chance to obtain their own original birth certificates.

Phillips asks people to be patient and this will all resolves itself out.