News
State law to open access to adoptee's birth certificates
Many adopted Ohioans will find it easier to get their birth certificates under a state law taking effect next month.
Monday, February 23rd 2015, 9:52 AM EST
Updated:
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) - Many adopted Ohioans will find it easier to get their birth certificates under a state law taking effect next month.
It allows individuals adopted between January 1, 1964, and September 18, 1996, to request their adoption files from the Ohio Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics. The Dayton Daily News reports this will give about 400,000 adoptees easier access to documents that may provide medical history information.
Birth certificates before and after the two dates are already public records. But a 1996 change to Ohio law was not made retroactive to include adoptees born between those two dates and largely left them having to petition courts for birth certificate access.
Birth parents from that 32-year period have until March 19 to have their names removed from the records.
Information from: Dayton Daily News, http://www.daytondailynews.com
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
It allows individuals adopted between January 1, 1964, and September 18, 1996, to request their adoption files from the Ohio Department of Health's Bureau of Vital Statistics. The Dayton Daily News reports this will give about 400,000 adoptees easier access to documents that may provide medical history information.
Birth certificates before and after the two dates are already public records. But a 1996 change to Ohio law was not made retroactive to include adoptees born between those two dates and largely left them having to petition courts for birth certificate access.
Birth parents from that 32-year period have until March 19 to have their names removed from the records.
Information from: Dayton Daily News, http://www.daytondailynews.com
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
