History of Connecticut Law
Restoring Rights To Adult Adoptees To Obtain Their Original Birth Certificates
At all times before 1975, every adult adoptee in Connecticut had the unrestricted right to obtain their original birth certificate.
In 1975, the legislature retroactively changed the law (clandestinely, without a public hearing) and required a court order for the adoptee to obtain their original birth certificate. In 1977, the right was made subject to birth parent consent.
In subsequent years, the pendulum swung back. Starting in 1983, every relinquishing birth parent signed an Affidavit stating that the adult adoptee might learn the birth parent’s identity. In 1987 the law changed again, allowing all adoptees to get their original birth certificate after their birth parents had died. In 2015, post-1983 adult adoptees regained the unrestricted right to obtain their original birth certificate. And finally in 2021, all adult adoptees and their descendants have an unrestricted right to access their original birth certificate.
TIMELINE OF CONNECTICUT STATUTES
–Pre-1944–
Adoption information is public.
— 1944-1975 —
Unrestricted right of access to original birth certificates by all adult adoptees and parents of minor adoptees. CGS Sec. 7-53.
–1975–
Retroactive and prospective removal of unrestricted right to access. PA 75-170.
(No public hearing was held before this was done by the legislature.)
–1983–
Probate Court Affidavit Form JD-JM-60 implemented on October 1, 1983. Affidavit is required in all voluntary termination of parental rights cases. Affidavit contains a notice provision that informs all biological parents that their identity, and the identity of other blood relatives, may be disclosed to adult adoptee when he or she reaches the age of 18. www.ctprobate.gov/Forms
–1987–
Retroactive restoration of the unrestricted right of all adult adoptees to obtain identifying information regarding a deceased biological parent. PA 87-555.
CGS Sec. 45a-751b(2)(e). CGS 45a-753(e).
–2015–
Retroactive restoration of the unrestricted right of adult adoptees born and adopted on or after October 1, 1983 to obtain original birth certificate. PA 14-133. CGS 7-53.
–Present–
All adult adoptees (and their descendants) have the unrestricted right to obtain their original birth certificate.
PA 21-21. CGS 7-53.
