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Committee sends bill to give adult adoptees broader access to original birth records to floor after debate over parent privacy
Summary
The committee voted to send House Bill 47 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation after advocates and adoptees testified in favor and some members sought an amendment to preserve birth-parent privacy; the motion to send the bill to general orders failed, and the due-pass motion passed 12–3 on a roll call.
House Bill 47, which would expand access to original birth records for older adoptees, was sent to the House floor by the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee following several hours of testimony and debate.
Representative Barbara Ehart (sponsored in the committee by Representative Erickson and others) described the bill as extending access that many current adoptees already have to older adoptees who were adopted before recent changes. "This is about the adoptee having access to their records," Ehart said, adding that many adoptees seek family medical history and identity information.
Several witnesses testified in support. Terri Markcroft of Unplanned Good said greater access promotes openness and helps adoptees and families. Julianne Young, testifying virtually, recounted a personal history of surrendering a child in 1968 and urged the committee to allow adoptees to seek information that can bring answers and closure. John McCrossy described bipartisanship on the topic and urged passage. Supporters emphasized that when a birth parent wishes not to be contacted, current processes allow the Department of Vital Statistics to mediate contact preferences and provide a redaction mechanism.
Opponents and some committee members raised privacy concerns for birth parents. Representative Alfieri said redacting a name may be insufficient because other identifying information could still lead to contact; he proposed a substitute motion to send the bill to general orders with an amendment to redact additional contact information. The substitute motion to send to general orders failed 7–8 on roll call.
After further debate, the committee voted on the original motion to send House Bill 47 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation; the motion passed 12–3 on a roll call vote. Committee members who supported the bill said it helps adoptees obtain medical history and identity information; those opposed pointed to privacy concerns for birth parents and urged additional protections or amendment on the floor.
Key procedural record: the committee first rejected an alternate motion to send the bill to general orders with a privacy amendment (7–8), then approved sending the bill to the floor with a due-pass recommendation (12–3). The bill will proceed to the House floor where amendments can be considered.
