Adoptee rights bill awaits Gov. Cuomo’s signature

The governor's office is reviewing a bill that passed both chambers to give adult adoptees the ability to get copies of their original long-form birth certificates.

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – The governor’s office is reviewing a bill that passed both chambers to give adult adoptees the ability to get copies of their original long-form birth certificates.

The New York State Assembly overwhelming passed the so-called Clean Bill on Thursday. 

“That’s decades in the making to give adoptees the rights to knowing their history,” Assemlywoman Pat Fahy (D-) said.

Adoptee Susan Moyer who watched the Assembly vote says she’s hopeful that she will soon be able to see her original birth certificate for the first time in her life.

“I just happened to put on my computer and to sit there and watch that live, I still get very emotional.”

In 2017, the Governor vetoed similar legislation.

“What happened in 2017, we asked the governor to veto that because we put a ‘Clean Bill’ in, by the time it was going to vote, it had been changed, meaning it wasn’t open to everybody.”

When asked about the recently passed bill, Counsel to the Governor Alphonso David had this to say:

“We’re going to have to take a closer look at that bill. If you may recall when the first version of the bill was passed there were strong objections from the advocacy community. The bill has now been modified. But we have to take a closer look at it to make sure that the concerns have been addressed.”

If the Governor signs off on the legislation, it would take effect in January.

According to the State Senate website, the bill has not yet been delivered to the Governor.