Bill > A3672

This bill, concerning access to an adoptee's original birth certificate, amends existing law to allow adopted individuals aged 18 and older, or their adoptive parents or guardians for medical reasons, to request an uncertified, long-form copy of the original birth certificate under certain circumstances. For adoptions that occurred before the bill's effective date, this access is granted if the birth parent(s) provide notarized consent, or if a "certified confidential intermediary" (a person trained to conduct diligent searches for birth parents) successfully locates a birth parent who consents, or if a birth parent is deceased or incapacitated and consent is obtained from a legal guardian. If a birth parent does not consent, their name may be redacted, or family medical history information may be provided instead. For adoptions occurring after the bill's effective date, birth parents will submit a "birth parent information statement" indicating their preference for information sharing, which can range from complete sharing of identifying information to only sharing medical history or using an intermediary for communication. The bill also establishes procedures for training and certifying confidential intermediaries and outlines exceptions, such as for children surrendered under the "New Jersey Safe Haven Infant Protection Act."