An Act Regarding Changing the Designation of a Parent on the Birth Certificate of an Adult
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0083
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: MIRAMANT, HYMANSON, JACKSON, LIBBY, PARRY, SPEAR
Amends: 22 MRSA §2705, 22 MRSA §2767, 22 MRSA §2767-A

Legislative Document
No. 83
S.P. 32
In Senate, January 11, 2017
An Act Regarding Changing the Designation of a Parent on the 
Birth Certificate of an Adult
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator MIRAMANT of Knox.
Cosponsored by Representative HYMANSON of York and
Senators: JACKSON of Aroostook, LIBBY of Androscoggin, Representatives: PARRY of 
Arundel, SPEAR of South Thomaston.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §2705, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 585, §1, is amended 
to read: 
6.  Amendment of birth certificate of adult.  Amendment of a birth certificate of 
birth of a person 18 years of age or older born in this State for the purpose of identifying 
a biological parent who was not known or listed at the time of birth is governed by 
section 2767 2767-A. 
Sec. 2.  22 MRSA §2767, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 585, §2, is repealed. 
Sec. 3.  22 MRSA §2767-A is enacted to read: 
§2767-A.  Amendment of birth certificate of adult 
1.  Amendment of birth certificate.  The State Registrar of Vital Statistics shall 
amend the birth certificate of a person 18 years of age or older born in this State for the 
purpose of identifying a genetic parent who was not known or listed at the time of birth 
when the state registrar has received the following: 
A.  A signed, notarized request from the subject of the birth certificate that the birth 
certificate be amended; 
B.  Either the written, notarized consent of the genetic parent to be named on the 
amended birth certificate or a certified copy of the death certificate of the genetic 
parent to be named on the amended birth certificate; and 
C.  Evidence of genetic parentage based on testing of deoxyribonucleic acid, DNA, 
that includes: 
(1)  A notarized report of the results of the DNA testing; and 
(2)  Notarized documentation of the chain of custody of the blood and tissue 
samples examined in the testing. 
The testing must be of a type generally acknowledged as reliable by accreditation 
bodies designated by the federal Secretary of Health and Human Services, and it must 
be performed by a laboratory approved by an accreditation body designated by the 
federal Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
2.  Effect.  If the request submitted pursuant to subsection 1 does not contain the 
written, notarized consent of the genetic parent to be named on the amended birth 
certificate, amendment of the birth certificate pursuant to this section does not affect the 
rights of inheritance and descent.  A birth certificate amended without the written, 
notarized consent of the genetic parent to be named on the amended birth certificate must 
contain the following words in a conspicuous place: "This birth certificate has been 
amended to identify a genetic parent not known or listed at the time of birth.  This 
amendment does not affect the rights of inheritance or descent of the subject of the birth 
certificate." 
SUMMARY 
This bill repeals the current law governing amendment of the birth certificate of an 
adult and creates a process for amending an adult's birth certificate when genetic testing 
identifies a parent who was not known or listed at the time of the adult's birth and the 
genetic parent to be named on the amended birth certificate either consents in writing to 
the amendment or is deceased.  The bill provides that amendment of a birth certificate 
without the consent of the genetic parent to be named on the amended birth certificate 
does not affect the rights of inheritance or descent.