Source: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2013/s2490/amendment/a
Timestamp: 2019-09-17 02:42:42
Document Index: 743373570

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 4136', '§ 4138', '§ 4138', '§ 4138', '§ 4138', '§ 4138', '§  4139', '§ 4104', '§ 114', '§ 114', '§ 114', '§ 4138']

NY State Senate Bill S2490A
senate Bill S2490A
Get Status Alerts for S2490A
Jun 16, 2014 print number 2490b
Jun 16, 2014 amend (t) and recommit to health
Jan 29, 2013 print number 2490a
Jan 29, 2013 amend (t) and recommit to health
Jan 17, 2013 referred to health
S2490 - Details
2011-2012: S5783
2015-2016: S3314
S2490 - Summary
Relates to adoptee rights.
S2490 - Sponsor Memo
BILL NUMBER:S2490
creating the bill of adoptee rights
PURPOSE:  To establish the Bill of Adoptee Rights.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:  The bill amends the public health law by
adding a new section, § 4136-e, to establish the "Sill of Adoptee
Rights", as of January 1, 2014 an adoptee, who is at least 18 years
old, may request and receive a certified copy of his or her original
birth. Such copy shall include a legend, appearing prominently on each
page of the document that states:"This is a certified copy of an
original birth certificate. This original birth certificate has been
superseded by another certificate on file with the appropriate
Prior to January 1, 2014 a birth parent may, in writing confirm that
they wish to maintain the confidentiality of the certificate.
A person 18 years or older, born in New York State and adopted, and
whose long form birth certificate was sealed, may obtain a certified
copy of such certificate upon supplying proof that a.11 birth parents
listed on the document have died.
The department shall promulgate and make publicly available forms that
a birth parent may use to provide the department with a written
confirmation or withdrawal of confirmation under this section, and for
confirming that a person who has made such a written confirmation or
withdrawal is, in fact, a person identified on the birth certificate
as a birth parent, and for confirming the sufficiency of proof of the
death of a person listed on a birth certificate as a birth parent.
A birth parent may at any time request from the department a contact
preference form that shall accompany a birth certificate issued under
this title. The contact preference form shall provide the following
information to be completed at the option of the birth parent: (i)
would like to be contacted, (ii) I would prefer to be contacted only
through an intermediary, (iii) I have completed a medical history form
and have filed it with the department, (iv) Please do not contact me.
If I decide later that I would like to be contacted, I will submit an
updated contact preference form to the department.
The medical history form shall be in a form prescribed by the
department and shall be supplied to the birth parent upon request of a
contact preference form from the department. Only those persons who
are authorized to process applications made under this title may
process contact preference forms, medical history forms, and
correspondence and requests made pursuant to this section.
The medical history and contact preference forms described in this
subdivision are confidential communications from the birth parent to
the person named on the confidential long-form birth certificate and
shall be placed in separate sealed envelopes upon receipt from the
birth parent. The sealed envelopes shall be matched with and placed in
the file containing the confidential original long-form birth
certificate. Such sealed envelopes containing the contact preference
form and medical history form shall be released to a person authorized
to receive a certified copy of his or her original long-form birth
certificate pursuant to this section.
The contact preference and medical history forms described in this
subdivision are private communications from the birth parent to the
person named on the sealed birth certificate and no copies of such
forms shall be retained by the department. Where only a medical
history form is requested, the certified copy of the long-form birth
certificate and contact preference forms shall not be provided, but
may be requested and provided at a later date.
The department shall develop an affirmative information campaign and
widely disseminate to the public, though its website, public service
announcements and other means, in multiple languages and through
multiple outlets, information concerning the provisions of this
section including but not limited to the means by which a birth parent
may confirm that he or she wishes to maintain the confidentiality of a
long form birth certificate held by the department in which such birth
parent is named, and by which such birth parent may withdraw such a
JUSTIFICATION:  The "Bill of Adoptee Rights" will provide adult
adoptees with access to information that a non-adopted person has a
legal right to obtain.  In New York, an adoptee cannot access his or
her original birth certificate unless the adoptee goes through
judicial means, and even then, the outcome does not guarantee that
access will be granted.  This bill will allow adult adoptees to
request and receive a certified copy of an original birth certificate.
heritage as well as medical history- A birth parent may seek to
protect his or her privacy by completing a contact preference form
intermediary or not be contacted at all.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  2012: S.5783 - Referred to Health/A.2003-B
Referred to Health 2011: S.5783-A- Referred to Health/A.2003-A
EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect on the first of January
provided, however, that, effective immediately, the commissioner of
health is directed to promulgate such rules and regulations as may be
necessary to carry out provisions of this act.
S2490 - Bill Text download pdf
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to creating the  bill
of adoptee rights
S  4138-E. BILL OF ADOPTEE RIGHTS. 1. (A) COMMENCING ON JANUARY FIRST,
TWO THOUSAND FIFTEEN, EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OR THREE  OF
THIS  SECTION,  AND  NOTWITHSTANDING  THE PROVISIONS OF ANY OTHER LAW, A
PERSON EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR MORE WHO WAS BORN IN THIS STATE AND THEN
ADOPTED AND WHOSE LONG-FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE WAS THEN  SEALED  IN  THIS
STATE,  MAY  OBTAIN A CERTIFIED COPY OF SUCH LONG-FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE
FROM THE DEPARTMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION. (B) SUCH  A  CERTI-
FIED  COPY  OF  A LONG-FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE SUPPLIED BY THE DEPARTMENT
SHALL INCLUDE A LEGEND, APPEARING PROMINENTLY ON EACH PAGE OF THE  DOCU-
MENT PROVIDED, STATING AS FOLLOWS:
THIS  IS  A  CERTIFIED  COPY  OF  AN  ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE. THIS
ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED BY ANOTHER CERTIFICATE ON
FILE WITH THE APPROPRIATE GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
2. AT ANY TIME PRIOR TO JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND FIFTEEN, A  PERSON
LISTED  AS  A BIRTH PARENT ON A CONFIDENTIAL LONG-FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE
MAY, IN WRITING, CONFIRM THAT HE OR SHE WISHES TO MAINTAIN THE CONFIDEN-
TIALITY OF SUCH DOCUMENT. IF A WRITTEN CONFIRMATION AS DESCRIBED IN THIS
SUBDIVISION IS RECEIVED FROM SUCH A BIRTH PARENT BY THE DEPARTMENT ON OR
BEFORE JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND FIFTEEN, THEN PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDI-
VISION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL  NOT  APPLY  TO  SUCH  LONG-FORM  BIRTH
CERTIFICATE  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF
THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY ON OR AFTER THAT DATE IF, AFTER SUCH  CONFIRMA-
TION  IS  RECEIVED  BY  THE  DEPARTMENT,  SUCH  BIRTH PARENT DIES OR THE
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S. 2490                             2
CONFIRMATION IS WITHDRAWN BY SUCH BIRTH PARENT IN WRITING, AND NO  OTHER
TIMELY  CONFIRMATION  REMAINS  ON FILE WITH THE DEPARTMENT FROM A LIVING
BIRTH PARENT.
3.  A  PERSON EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR MORE WHO WAS BORN IN THIS STATE
AND THEN ADOPTED AND WHOSE LONG-FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE WAS  THEN  SEALED
IN THIS STATE, MAY OBTAIN A CERTIFIED COPY OF HIS OR HER LONG-FORM BIRTH
CERTIFICATE,  AS  DESCRIBED  IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS
SECTION, UPON SUPPLYING PROOF THAT ALL  BIRTH  PARENTS  LISTED  ON  SUCH
DOCUMENT HAVE DIED.
4.  THE  DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE AND MAKE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE FORMS
THAT A BIRTH PARENT MAY USE TO PROVIDE THE  DEPARTMENT  WITH  A  WRITTEN
CONFIRMATION  OR  WITHDRAWAL OF CONFIRMATION UNDER THIS SECTION, AND FOR
CONFIRMING THAT A PERSON WHO HAS MADE SUCH  A  WRITTEN  CONFIRMATION  OR
WITHDRAWAL  IS, IN FACT, A PERSON IDENTIFIED ON THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE AS
A BIRTH PARENT, AND FOR CONFIRMING THE SUFFICIENCY OF PROOF OF THE DEATH
OF A PERSON LISTED ON A BIRTH CERTIFICATE AS A BIRTH PARENT.
5. (A) A BIRTH PARENT MAY AT ANY TIME REQUEST FROM  THE  DEPARTMENT  A
CONTACT  PREFERENCE FORM THAT SHALL ACCOMPANY A BIRTH CERTIFICATE ISSUED
UNDER THIS TITLE. THE CONTACT PREFERENCE FORM SHALL PROVIDE THE  FOLLOW-
(I) I WOULD LIKE TO BE CONTACTED.
(II) I WOULD PREFER TO BE CONTACTED ONLY THROUGH AN INTERMEDIARY.
(III)  I  HAVE COMPLETED A MEDICAL HISTORY FORM AND HAVE FILED IT WITH
(IV) PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT ME. IF I DECIDE LATER THAT I WOULD LIKE  TO
(B) THE MEDICAL HISTORY FORM SHALL BE IN  A  FORM  PRESCRIBED  BY  THE
DEPARTMENT  AND  SHALL BE SUPPLIED TO THE BIRTH PARENT UPON REQUEST OF A
CONTACT PREFERENCE FORM FROM THE DEPARTMENT. ONLY THOSE PERSONS WHO  ARE
AUTHORIZED  TO  PROCESS  APPLICATIONS  MADE UNDER THIS TITLE MAY PROCESS
CONTACT PREFERENCE FORMS, MEDICAL HISTORY FORMS, AND CORRESPONDENCE  AND
REQUESTS MADE PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
(C) THE MEDICAL HISTORY AND CONTACT PREFERENCE FORMS DESCRIBED IN THIS
SUBDIVISION ARE CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE BIRTH PARENT TO THE
PERSON  NAMED  ON THE CONFIDENTIAL LONG-FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND SHALL
BE PLACED IN SEPARATE SEALED  ENVELOPES  UPON  RECEIPT  FROM  THE  BIRTH
PARENT.    THE  SEALED ENVELOPES SHALL BE MATCHED WITH AND PLACED IN THE
FILE CONTAINING THE CONFIDENTIAL ORIGINAL LONG-FORM  BIRTH  CERTIFICATE.
SUCH SEALED ENVELOPES CONTAINING THE CONTACT PREFERENCE FORM AND MEDICAL
HISTORY  FORM  SHALL  BE  RELEASED  TO  A PERSON AUTHORIZED TO RECEIVE A
CERTIFIED COPY OF HIS OR HER ORIGINAL LONG-FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE PURSU-
ANT TO THIS SECTION.
(D) THE CONTACT PREFERENCE AND MEDICAL HISTORY FORMS DESCRIBED IN THIS
SUBDIVISION ARE PRIVATE COMMUNICATIONS FROM  THE  BIRTH  PARENT  TO  THE
PERSON NAMED ON THE SEALED BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND NO COPIES OF SUCH FORMS
SHALL  BE  RETAINED BY THE DEPARTMENT. WHERE ONLY A MEDICAL HISTORY FORM
IS REQUESTED, THE CERTIFIED COPY OF THE LONG-FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE  AND
CONTACT PREFERENCE FORMS SHALL NOT BE PROVIDED, BUT MAY BE REQUESTED AND
6.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL DEVELOP AN AFFIRMATIVE INFORMATION CAMPAIGN
AND WIDELY DISSEMINATE TO THE PUBLIC, THOUGH ITS WEBSITE, PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OTHER MEANS, IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AND THROUGH  MULTI-
PLE  OUTLETS,  INFORMATION  CONCERNING  THE  PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE MEANS  BY  WHICH  A  BIRTH  PARENT  MAY
CONFIRM  THAT  HE  OR  SHE  WISHES  TO MAINTAIN THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF A
S. 2490                             3
LONG-FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE HELD BY THE DEPARTMENT IN WHICH  SUCH  BIRTH
PARENT  IS  NAMED,  AND  BY  WHICH SUCH BIRTH PARENT MAY WITHDRAW SUCH A
that, effective immediately, the commissioner of health is authorized to
S2490A - Details
S2490A - Summary
S2490A - Sponsor Memo
BILL NUMBER:S2490A
TITLE  OF BILL:   An act to amend the public health law and the domestic
relations law, in relation to enacting the "bill of adoptee rights"
PURPOSE: This bill would allow an adopted person who is at  least  eigh-
teen  years of age to request from the Department of Health a non-certi-
fied copy of his or her original  birth  certificate  and/or  a  medical
history form if available
SUMMARY  OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 1 of the bill amends the public
health law by adding a new section, § 4138-e, to establish the "Bill  of
Adoptee  Rights",  An adoptee, who is at least 18 years old, may request
and receive a non-certified copy of his or her  original  birth  certif-
icate and/or a medical history form, if available, upon proper identifi-
cation  and  payment of a nominal fee. Where only a medical history form
is requested, the birth certificate and contact preference form will not
be sent, but may be requested at a later date. If a copy  of  the  birth
certificate cannot be provided, then the adult adoptee may secure from a
court  of  competent jurisdiction or the adoption agency the information
that would have appeared on the original birth  certificate.  A  contact
preference  form and/or a medical history form may be filed by the birth
parent(s) with the Department of Health at any time.
Section 2 amends § 4138 of the public  health  law  to  allow  an  adult
adopted  person  to  request a certified copy or certified transcript of
the certificate of birth based upon the original  certificate  of  birth
upon Proper proof of identity and a written notarized request,
Section  3 amends § 4138 of the public health law to provide that when a
verified transcript or certification of birth is issued by  the  regist-
rar,  it  will be required to issue the document based upon the original
local record of birth upon a written  notarized  request  by  the  adult
adopted person once proper proof of identity is provided.
Section  4 amends § 4138 of the public health law to require that when a
commissioner makes a new birth certificate for an adult, then  a  certi-
fied  copy,  a certified transcript and a certification of birth will be
forwarded to such adult.
Section 5 amends § 4138 of the public  health  law  by  adding  two  new
subdivisions  that  would  allow  an  adult adoptee or a birth parent to
submit to the registrar a notice of change of name and/or address and to
be attached to the original birth certificate of the adopted person.  If
an  adopted  person  has  granted  permission,  then the registrar shall
disclose the current name and address to the birth parent at  the  birth
parent's request,
Section  6  amends  §  4139-d  of  the public health law and removes the
Section  7  amends § 4104 of the public health law to include additional
provisions under vital statistics that would be applicable to  the  city
Section  8 amends § 114 of the domestic relations law to require certain
an will have the responsibility to ensure the  comprehensive  completion
of  parental  rights  or the entry of a certificate of adoption. The law
guardian will provide an affidavit to the court reporting  all  diligent
efforts  to  obtain  the  medical  history information and a copy of the
affidavit will be appended to the original  and  amended  birth  certif-
Section  9  amends114  of  the  domestic relations law to allow an adult
adoptee to request and receive  a  non-certified  copy  of  his  or  her
original  birth certificate and/or a medical history form, if available,
upon proper identification and payment of a nominal fee.
JUSTIFICATION: The Bill of Adoptee Rights' will provide  adult  adoptees
with  access  to information that a non-adopted person has a legal right
to obtain. In New York, an adoptee cannot access  his  or  her  original
birth  certificate  unless  the adoptee goes through judicial means, and
even then, the outcome does not guarantee that access will  be  granted.
This  bill  will allow adult adoptees to request and receive a noncerti-
fied copy of an original birth certificate and/or a medical history form
Adoptees will be able to gain knowledge of their  religious  and  ethnic
heritage  and  access  to  medical information that may be necessary for
preventive health care and illnesses that are linked to  family  history
and  genetics.  A birth parent may seek to protect his or her privacy by
completing a contact preference form that would be  sent  to  the  adult
adoptee  upon  a  request  for  a noncertified copy of an original birth
certificate. The contact preference form provides the birth parent  with
the option to be contacted by the adoptee, through an intermediary or to
PRIOR  LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:   1993-1994: A10403               2003-2004:
A.62398 1995-1996: A.2226                 2005: A929  1997-1993:  A.4316
2006:  A.9923/S.446 1999-2000: A.7541A           2007/2005: A.2277/S.235
2001-2002: A.7943           2009/2010: A.8410A/S.5269A
2011: A.2003/S.1436 2012: 1/24/2012 Referred to health
2/14/2012 Reported referred to codes
5/23/12 Amend and recommit to codes
5/23/12 Print number 8910a
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:; None.
EFFECTIVE  DATE:This act shall take effect on the first of January after
it shall have become a law, provided,  however,  that,  effective  imme-
diately, the commissioner of health is directed to promulgate such rules
and regulations as may be necessary to carry out provisions of this act
S2490A - Bill Text download pdf
2490--A
S  4138-E.  BILL OF ADOPTEE RIGHTS. 1. THIS SECTION SHALL BE KNOWN AND
AND ENCOURAGE THE LIFE-LONG HEALTH AND WELL-BEING NEEDS OF  PERSONS  WHO
HAVE  BEEN AND WILL BE ADOPTED IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. THE LEGISLATURE
3. (A) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF  LAW,  WHEN  AN  ADOPTED
RIGHT TO RECEIPT OF A NON-CERTIFIED COPY OF HIS OR  HER  ORIGINAL  (LONG
FORM,  LINE  BY LINE VAULT COPY) BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND ANY CHANGE HIS OR
HER BIRTH PARENT OR PARENTS  MAY  HAVE  ATTACHED  TO  THAT  CERTIFICATE,
LBD02906-03-3
S. 2490--A                          2
AND/OR  A MEDICAL HISTORY FORM IF AVAILABLE, UPON APPLICATION, PRESENTA-
S. 2490--A                          3
S. 2490--A                          4
S. 2490--A                          5
S2490B (ACTIVE) - Details
S2490B (ACTIVE) - Summary
S2490B (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo
BILL NUMBER:S2490B
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the domestic relations law and the
public health law, in relation to adoptee rights
PURPOSE: This bill would allow an adopted person who is at least eigh-
teen years of age to request from the court from which the order of
adoption was made, or from the supreme court, a non-certified copy of
his or her original birth certificate and/or a medical history form if
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 1 of the bill amends subdivision
2 of § 114 of the Domestic Relations Law to allow for exemptions
included in subdivision 4 and 5 of this section.
Section 2 amends § 114 of the Domestic Relations Law by adding a new
subdivision 5 to allow an adult adopted person over the age of 18 to
request from the court where the adoption was made or the supreme court
a non-certified copy of his or her original long form birth certificate
or identifying information in the case where a birth certificate is not
available. The adopted person needs sufficient proof of identity to
obtain documents.
Section 2 subsection (b) directs the court to supply the state depart-
ment of health with the adopted person's birth parent or parents' iden-
tifying information so the department of health can make a reasonable
and good faith effort to contact and advise birth parent(s) that the
adopted person has filed an application to receive their original long-
form birth certificate. Prior to notifying parent(s), the department of
health shall determine whether the birth parent(s) have already filed a
written confirmation or consent form.  If such form is on file, the
court shall be notified and no effort to notify the parent shall be
Section 2 subsection (c) allows the birth parent to complete a written
and notarized confirmation that he or she wishes to maintain confiden-
tiality of identifying information, or that he or she consents to the
release of identifying information.
Section 2 subsection (d) directs that upon receipt of written confirma-
tion or if the parent has completed a registration consent form, the
health department will notify and provide the court with such documents.
If such consent form has been revoked by birth parent, the court shall
be notified and the court will consider that a request for continued
(1) If the birth parent(s) consent to release of identifying information
the court shall (i) order the release of a non-certified copy of the
long-form birth certificate to the adopted person or (ii) if birth
certificate is unavailable, identifying information will be made avail-
able to the adopted person.
(2) If the birth parent requests confidentiality, the court shall
release a non-certified copy of the long form birth certificate to the
adopted person with the birth parent's identifying information redacted.
(3) Where there are two birth parents and only one requests confiden-
tiality, the other parent's identifying information may be released to
the adopted person. The consent of one parent will not be construed as
consent by the other parent.
Section 2 subsection (e) states that if the birth parent is unable to be
notified or doesn't respond after reasonable and good faith efforts, and
unless the court deems the release of the birth certificate or identify-
ing information to be detrimental to the welfare of the birth or adop-
tive parents, the court will (i)release an unredacted, non-certified
copy of the long form birth certificate to the adopted person or (ii) if
the birth certificate is not available, identifying information will be
released that would've appeared on the long form birth certificate. The
court must issue a written order when making a determination. If the
court determines not to release an unredacted birth certificate, the
court shall release a non-certified copy of the birth certificate with
the birth parent(s)' identifying information redacted.
Section 2 subsection (f) states that if the birth parent consents to the
release of identifying information, the department of health shall
provide the parent with a contact preference form. If completed, the
form will accompany the copy of the birth certificate provided to the
adopted person. The consent form will contain the following information:
(1) I am willing to or would like to be contacted. (2) I would prefer to
be contacted through an intermediary. (3) I have completed a medical
history form and have filed it with the department of health. (4) Please
do not contact me.  If I decide later that I would like to be contacted,
I will submit an updated contact preference form to the court or the
health department. (5) Add any additional information here (if desired).
The medical history form shall be supplied to the birth parent with a
contact preference form. The medical history form and contact preference
are confidential communications from the birth parent to person named on
birth certificate and shall be placed in separate sealed envelopes. The
sealed envelopes shall be released to the person requesting their birth
certificate, or their authorized agent, and no copies of the form shall
be retained by the court.
Section 2 subsection (g) directs the department of health to develop an
affirmative information campaign and widely disseminate it to the public
via their website, public service announcements, and other means, in
multiple languages and through multiple outlets.
Section 2 subsection (h) allows a birth parent to file a written nota-
rized confirmation with the court that ordered the adoption or the
department of health indicating whether he or she wishes to maintain
confidentiality or consent to the release of identifying information.
The court shall honor the written confirmation unless it is withdrawn,
in a notarized writing, by the birth parent.
Section 3 amends subdivision 10 of § 4138-c and a new subdivision 10-a
is added. Subdivision 10 calls for the commissioner to direct and devel-
op an adoption information registry birth parent consent form to be
completed at the time of surrender or consent to adoption. The form will
include check-boxes to be filled by the biological parents or parents
whose consent is needed for the relinquishment of the child, indicating
whether or not the parent consents to the release of identifying infor-
mation and a non-certified copy of the original birth certificate to the
adopted child. The form will state that it is the birth parent's respon-
sibility to update the registry of changes in contact information. The
form will also advise biological parents of the adoption medical infor-
mation sub-registry and providing medical information. The commissioner
is directed to develop any rules and regulations to expedite transfer of
any information from any agency, court, or department necessary to
implement this subdivision as long as it doesn't conflict with any
provision or law. Subdivision 10-a pertains to all adoptions and surren-
ders occurring after the effective date of this law and states that if a
biological parent(s), or the parent(s) who's consent was necessary for
the relinquishment of the child, consents to the release of the non-cer-
tified copy of the child's original birth certificate, the adopted
person shall, after turning the age of 18 and upon application to the
department with adequate proof of identity, have the right to receive a
non-certified copy of their original birth certificate.
Section 4 states that this bill takes effect on January 15, 2015
provided, however, that paragraphs (g) and (h) of subdivision 5 of the
domestic relations law, as created in section 2 of this act, shall take
effect thirty days after this act shall have become law.
JUSTIFICATION: The Bill of Adoptee Rights' will provide adult adoptees
with access to information that a non-adopted person has a legal right
to obtain. In New York, an adoptee cannot access his or her original
birth certificate unless the adoptee goes through judicial means, and
This bill will allow adult adoptees to request and receive a noncerti-
certificate. The contact preference form provides the birth parent with
2013: 01/09/13 Referred to health 04/23/13 Reported referred to codes
EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect on January 15, 2015,
provided, however, that paragraphs (g) and (h) of subdivisions 5 of the
domestic relations law, as created by section 2 of this act, shall take
S2490B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf
2490--B
Introduced  by  Sens.  LANZA,  ADDABBO, AVELLA, BALL, BRESLIN, CARLUCCI,
DILAN, ESPAILLAT, FLANAGAN, GIANARIS, GOLDEN, HASSELL-THOMPSON,  HOYL-
MAN,  KRUEGER,  LARKIN,  LATIMER, LAVALLE, LITTLE, MONTGOMERY, PARKER,
PERALTA, PERKINS, ROBACH, SAMPSON, SAVINO, SEWARD,  STAVISKY  --  read
to the Committee on Health in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 --
AN ACT to amend the domestic relations law and the public health law, in
relation to adoptee rights
Section 1. Legislative findings. The  legislature  hereby  states  its
intention to acknowledge, support and encourage the life-long health and
well-being  of persons who have been and will be adopted in the state of
New York. The legislature  further  recognizes  that  the  inability  to
access  accurate  and  complete medical and self-identifying data of any
adopted person may result  in  such  person  succumbing  to  preventable
disease,  premature  death  or  otherwise  unhealthy  life. As such, the
provisions of this act seek to establish considerations  under  the  law
for  adopted  persons  to access their birth information while providing
for the privacy of an adopted person and his or her birth  and  adoptive
S  2.  Subdivision  2 of section 114 of the domestic relations law, as
amended by chapter 559 of the laws of 1992 and as designated by  chapter
601 of the laws of 1994, is amended to read as follows:
2.  No  person,  including the attorney for the adoptive parents shall
disclose the surname of the child directly or indirectly to the adoptive
parents except upon order of the  court.  No  person  shall  be  allowed
LBD02906-05-4
S. 2490--B                          2
access  to  such  sealed  records and order and any index thereof except
upon an order of a judge or surrogate of the court in  which  the  order
was  made or of a justice of the supreme court.  [No] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED
IN  SUBDIVISIONS  FOUR AND FIVE OF THIS SECTION, NO order for disclosure
or access and inspection shall be granted except on good cause shown and
on due notice to the adoptive parents and to such additional persons  as
the  court  may  direct.  Nothing  contained  herein  shall be deemed to
require the state commissioner of health  or  his  OR  HER  designee  to
secure  a court order authorizing disclosure of information contained in
adoption or birth records requested pursuant to the authority of section
forty-one hundred thirty-eight-c or section  forty-one  hundred  thirty-
eight-d  of  the public health law; upon the receipt of such request for
information, the court shall transmit the information authorized  to  be
released  thereunder  to  the state commissioner of health or his OR HER
S 3. Section 114 of the domestic relations law is amended by adding  a
5.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY INCONSISTENT PROVISION OF LAW: (A) AN ADOPTED
PERSON WHO HAS ATTAINED THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN YEARS MAY APPLY TO THE COURT
IN WHICH THE ORDER OF ADOPTION WAS MADE, OR TO  THE  SUPREME  COURT,  TO
REQUEST  AN  ORDER RELEASING A NON-CERTIFIED COPY OF HIS OR HER ORIGINAL
LONG FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE, OR WHERE NO BIRTH CERTIFICATE IS AVAILABLE,
THE IDENTIFYING INFORMATION OF HIS OR HER BIRTH PARENT  OR  PARENTS,  IN
ACCORDANCE  WITH THIS SUBDIVISION. SUCH APPLICATION SHALL INCLUDE SUFFI-
CIENT PROOF OF IDENTITY OF SUCH ADOPTED PERSON.
(B) UPON RECEIPT OF AN APPLICATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A)  OF  THIS
SUBDIVISION,  THE COURT SHALL PROVIDE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, OR
ORDER THAT SUCH DEPARTMENT BE PROVIDED, WITH THE IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
OF THE ADOPTED PERSON'S BIRTH PARENT OR PARENTS AND DIRECT  THE  DEPART-
MENT OF HEALTH TO MAKE A REASONABLE AND GOOD FAITH EFFORT, DOCUMENTED IN
WRITING  AND  COMPLETED  WITHIN  ONE  HUNDRED TWENTY DAYS, TO NOTIFY THE
BIRTH PARENT OR PARENTS AND ADVISE  SUCH  PARENT  OR  PARENTS  THAT  THE
ADOPTED  PERSON  HAS  MADE  AN APPLICATION PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION.
SUCH NOTIFICATION AND ADVISORY GIVEN SHALL COMPLY  WITH  ANY  TERMS  AND
CONDITIONS SET FORTH BY THE COURT AND SHALL BE MADE BY MEANS DESIGNED TO
BE  SENSITIVE  TO  THE  PERSONAL NATURE OF THE MATTER. THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH SHALL, BEFORE MAKING  EFFORTS  TO  NOTIFY  THE  BIRTH  PARENT  OR
PARENTS,  DETERMINE  WHETHER SUCH PARENT OR PARENTS HAVE ALREADY FILED A
WRITTEN CONFIRMATION WITH THE COURT OR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PURSUANT
TO PARAGRAPH (H) OF THIS SUBDIVISION  OR  A  BIRTH  PARENT  REGISTRATION
CONSENT FORM WITH THE ADOPTION INFORMATION REGISTRY PURSUANT TO SUBDIVI-
SION  TEN  OF  SECTION  FORTY-ONE  HUNDRED  THIRTY-EIGHT-C OF THE PUBLIC
HEALTH LAW. WHERE SUCH CONFIRMATION OR CONSENT  FORM  IS  ON  FILE,  THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL NOTIFY THE COURT AND NO SUCH EFFORTS TO NOTI-
FY THE PARENT SHALL BE MADE.
(C)  UPON  NOTIFICATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION,
OR EARLIER AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BIRTH PARENT PURSUANT  TO  PARAGRAPH
(H)  OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION, SUCH BIRTH PARENT MAY COMPLETE A WRITTEN AND
NOTARIZED CONFIRMATION THAT HE OR SHE WISHES TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY
OF IDENTIFYING INFORMATION, OR THAT HE OR SHE CONSENTS TO THE RELEASE OF
(D) UPON RECEIPT OF SUCH WRITTEN CONFIRMATION, OR WHERE THE PARENT HAS
COMPLETED A BIRTH PARENT REGISTRATION CONSENT FORM PURSUANT TO  SUBDIVI-
HEALTH LAW, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL NOTIFY THE COURT AND  PROVIDE
THE COURT WITH THE WRITTEN CONFIRMATION OR CONSENT FORM, AS THE CASE MAY
S. 2490--B                          3
BE,  COMPLETED  BY  THE  BIRTH  PARENT. WHERE SUCH CONSENT FORM HAS BEEN
REVOKED BY A BIRTH PARENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL SO NOTIFY  THE
COURT  AND SUCH REVOCATION SHALL BE CONSIDERED BY THE COURT AS A REQUEST
FOR CONTINUED CONFIDENTIALITY OF IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.
(I)  IF THE BIRTH PARENT CONSENTS TO THE RELEASE OF IDENTIFYING INFOR-
MATION, THE COURT SHALL (A) ORDER THE RELEASE OF A NON-CERTIFIED COPY OF
THE LONG-FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE TO THE ADOPTED PERSON, OR (B) WHEN  SUCH
BIRTH  CERTIFICATE IS NOT AVAILABLE, ORDER THAT THE IDENTIFYING INFORMA-
TION BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE ADOPTED PERSON.
(II) IF THE BIRTH PARENT REQUESTS CONTINUED CONFIDENTIALITY, THE COURT
SHALL DIRECT THE RELEASE OF A NON-CERTIFIED COPY OF  THE  BIRTH  CERTIF-
ICATE  WITH  THE IDENTIFYING INFORMATION REGARDING SUCH PARENT REDACTED,
AND SHALL PROVIDE SUCH ADOPTED PERSON WITH SUCH REDACTED COPY AND FILE A
COPY OF THE REDACTED VERSION IN THE COURT  RECORD.  SUCH  REDACTED  COPY
SHALL  INCLUDE  NON-IDENTIFYING  INFORMATION  AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN
SUBDIVISION THREE OF SECTION FORTY-ONE  HUNDRED  THIRTY-EIGHT-C  OF  THE
(III)  WHERE  THERE ARE TWO IDENTIFIED BIRTH PARENTS AND ONLY ONE SUCH
PARENT  HAS  REQUESTED  CONFIDENTIALITY,  THE  IDENTIFYING   INFORMATION
REGARDING  THE  OTHER  PARENT  MAY,  IN  THE DISCRETION OF THE COURT, BE
RELEASED TO THE ADOPTED PERSON IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SUBDIVISION.  THE
CONSENT  OF ONE PARENT SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED TO BE CONSENT BY THE OTHER
THE COURT SHALL ISSUE A WRITTEN  ORDER  WHEN  MAKING  A  DETERMINATION
PURSUANT TO SUBPARAGRAPHS (II) AND (III) OF THIS PARAGRAPH.
(E)  (I)  IF AFTER REASONABLE AND GOOD FAITH EFFORTS PURSUANT TO PARA-
GRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE BIRTH PARENT IS UNABLE TO BE NOTIFIED
OR DOES NOT RESPOND TO SUCH NOTIFICATION, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL
SO NOTIFY THE COURT. UNLESS THE COURT, IN ITS DISCRETION, FOR GOOD CAUSE
SPECIFIED IN ITS ORDER,  DETERMINES  THAT  THE  RELEASE  OF  SUCH  BIRTH
CERTIFICATE  OR  IDENTIFYING INFORMATION WOULD BE CLEARLY DETRIMENTAL TO
THE WELFARE OF THE BIRTH OR  ADOPTIVE  PARENTS,  THE  COURT  SHALL:  (A)
RELEASE,  OR DIRECT THE RELEASE OF, AN UNREDACTED, NON-CERTIFIED COPY OF
THE LONG-FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE TO THE ADOPTED PERSON, OR  (B)  IF  SUCH
BIRTH CERTIFICATE IS NOT AVAILABLE, RELEASE OR DIRECT THE RELEASE OF THE
IDENTIFYING  INFORMATION  THAT  WOULD  HAVE  APPEARED  ON  THE  ORIGINAL
LONG-FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE. FOR THE PURPOSES OF  THIS  PARAGRAPH,  GOOD
CAUSE  SHALL  INCLUDE,  BUT  IS  NOT LIMITED TO, EVIDENCE CONCERNING THE
WISHES OF THE BIRTH PARENT REGARDING CONFIDENTIALITY AS EXPRESSED AT THE
TIME OF THE ADOPTION OR SURRENDER. THE COURT SHALL ISSUE A WRITTEN ORDER
WHEN MAKING A DETERMINATION PURSUANT TO THIS PARAGRAPH.
(II) WHERE THE COURT DETERMINES NOT TO  RELEASE  AN  UNREDACTED  BIRTH
CERTIFICATE  PURSUANT  TO  SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH, THE COURT
ICATE  WITH  THE  IDENTIFYING  INFORMATION REGARDING THE BIRTH PARENT OR
PARENTS REDACTED, AND  SHALL  PROVIDE  SUCH  ADOPTED  PERSON  WITH  SUCH
REDACTED COPY.
(F) UPON THE CONSENT OF A BIRTH PARENT TO RELEASE IDENTIFYING INFORMA-
TION  PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SUBDIVISION,  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF HEALTH SHALL
PROVIDE SUCH PARENT WITH  A  CONTACT  PREFERENCE  FORM  THAT  SHALL,  IF
COMPLETED  BY  THE BIRTH PARENT, ACCOMPANY A COPY OF A BIRTH CERTIFICATE
OR OTHER IDENTIFYING INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE  ADOPTED  PERSON  UNDER
THIS  SUBDIVISION  AND  BE  FILED WITH THE ADOPTION INFORMATION REGISTRY
ESTABLISHED BY SECTION FORTY-ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT-C  OF  THE  PUBLIC
HEALTH  LAW.  THE  CONTACT  PREFERENCE  FORM SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING
CONTENT TO BE COMPLETED AT THE OPTION OF THE BIRTH PARENT:
S. 2490--B                          4
(I) I AM WILLING TO OR WOULD LIKE TO BE CONTACTED.
COURT OR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
(V) ADD ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION HERE (IF DESIRED):
MENT  OF HEALTH AND SHALL BE SUPPLIED TO THE BIRTH PARENT WITH A CONTACT
PREFERENCE FORM.
THE MEDICAL HISTORY FORM AND CONTACT PREFERENCE FORM ARE  CONFIDENTIAL
COMMUNICATIONS  FROM  THE BIRTH PARENT TO THE PERSON NAMED ON THE SEALED
BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND SHALL BE PLACED IN SEPARATE SEALED ENVELOPES  UPON
RECEIPT FROM THE BIRTH PARENT.
MEDICAL HISTORY FORM SHALL BE RELEASED TO A PERSON REQUESTING HIS OR HER
BIRTH CERTIFICATE UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION OR HIS OR HER  AGENT,  SUCH  AS
HIS  OR HER ATTORNEY, WITH APPROPRIATE AUTHORIZATION.  THE CONTACT PREF-
ERENCE FORM AND MEDICAL HISTORY FORM ARE PRIVATE COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE
BIRTH PARENT TO THE PERSON NAMED ON THE SEALED BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND  NO
COPIES OF THE FORMS SHALL BE RETAINED BY THE COURT.
(G)  THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL DEVELOP AN AFFIRMATIVE INFORMATION
CAMPAIGN AND WIDELY DISSEMINATE TO  THE  PUBLIC,  THROUGH  ITS  WEBSITE,
PUBLIC  SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND OTHER MEANS, IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AND
THROUGH MULTIPLE OUTLETS, INFORMATION CONCERNING THE  ADOPTION  INFORMA-
TION REGISTRY ESTABLISHED BY SECTION FORTY-ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT-C OF
THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW AND THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION, INCLUDING,
BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE MEANS BY WHICH A BIRTH PARENT MAY FILE A WRITTEN
CONFIRMATION  PURSUANT  TO  PARAGRAPH  (H)  OF THIS SUBDIVISION WITH THE
COURT THAT ORDERED THE ADOPTION OR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH THAT  HE  OR
SHE  WISHES  TO MAINTAIN THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF IDENTIFYING INFORMATION,
OR CONSENTS TO THE RELEASE OF SUCH IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.
(H) A BIRTH PARENT MAY, AT ANY TIME,  FILE  A  WRITTEN  AND  NOTARIZED
CONFIRMATION  WITH  THE  COURT  THAT  ORDERED  THE  ADOPTION OR WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH INDICATING THAT HE OR SHE WISHES TO MAINTAIN CONFI-
DENTIALITY OF IDENTIFYING INFORMATION OR THAT HE OR SHE CONSENTS TO  THE
RELEASE OF IDENTIFYING INFORMATION. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SHALL NOTI-
FY THE COURT AND PROVIDE THE COURT WITH A COPY OF SUCH WRITTEN CONFIRMA-
TION. THE COURT SHALL HONOR SUCH WRITTEN CONFIRMATION UNLESS IT IS WITH-
DRAWN OR MODIFIED, IN NOTARIZED WRITING, BY THE BIRTH PARENT.
(I)  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION, "ADOPTED PERSON" SHALL
INCLUDE A PERSON WHO WAS SURRENDERED AS DESCRIBED IN  SUBDIVISION  SEVEN
OF ARTICLE SECTION ONE HUNDRED NINE OF THIS ARTICLE.
S  4.  Subdivision  10  of section 4138-c of the public health law, as
added by chapter 435 of the laws of 2008, is amended and a new  subdivi-
sion 10-a is added to read as follows:
10.  The  commissioner  is directed to develop an adoption information
registry birth parent registration consent form to be completed  at  the
time of surrender or consent to adoption. Such form shall include check-
off boxes to be appropriately marked by the biological parent or parents
whose consent is necessary for the relinquishment of such child indicat-
ing  whether  or  not such parent consents to the receipt of identifying
information AND A NON-CERTIFIED COPY OF THE ORIGINAL  BIRTH  CERTIFICATE
by  the  child  to  be adopted. A copy of such form shall be sent to the
department with copies of the original and amended  birth  certificates.
S. 2490--B                          5
Such  form shall state that it is the responsibility of the birth parent
to update the registry with any changes in contact information. The form
shall additionally advise the biological parents of the adoption medical
information  sub-registry and the procedures by which a birth parent may
provide medical information to  the  sub-registry.  Notwithstanding  any
inconsistent  provision  of  law  to  the  contrary, the commissioner is
directed to develop any rules and regulations necessary to expedite  the
transfer  of  information from any agency, court or department necessary
to implement this subdivision.
10-A. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY INCONSISTENT PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRA-
RY, FOR SURRENDERS OCCURRING AND ORDERS OF ADOPTIONS ENTERED  AFTER  THE
EFFECTIVE  DATE OF THE CHAPTER OF THE LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND FOURTEEN THAT
ADDED THIS SUBDIVISION, WHERE THE BIOLOGICAL  PARENT  OR  PARENTS  WHOSE
CONSENT  IS  NECESSARY  FOR THE RELINQUISHMENT OF SUCH CHILD CONSENTS TO
THE RELEASE OF A  NON-CERTIFIED  COPY  OF  THE  CHILD'S  ORIGINAL  BIRTH
CERTIFICATE  OR DOES NOT AFFIRMATIVELY REQUEST, ON THE FORM DESCRIBED IN
SUBDIVISION TEN OF THIS SECTION, THAT SUCH  ORIGINAL  BIRTH  CERTIFICATE
REMAIN  CONFIDENTIAL,  THE  SURRENDERED  OR  ADOPTED PERSON SHALL, AFTER
ATTAINING THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN AND UPON APPLICATION TO THE DEPARTMENT AND
ADEQUATE PROOF OF IDENTITY, HAVE THE RIGHT TO  RECEIVE  A  NON-CERTIFIED
COPY OF THEIR ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
S  5.  This act shall take effect January 15, 2015, provided, however,
that paragraphs (g) and (h) of subdivision  5  of  section  114  of  the
domestic  relations  law,  as  added by section three of this act, shall
take effect on the thirtieth day after such effective date.
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