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Adoption law to take effect January 1

Published: Friday, Nov. 19, 2004

CONCORD (AP) - Starting next year, adopted children will gain access to their original birth certificates, under a new law.

New Hampshire will join Oregon, Alabama, Alaska and Kansas, which have similar laws. New Hamsphire’s takes effect on Jan. 1.

“I think it’s big for all people adopted in New Hampshire who feel their history belongs to them and want to be connected to that history,” said Steve Varnum, an adoption activist. “I know there are people chomping at the bit for this law to take effect.”

Varnum himself was adopted and began searching for his birth mother several years ago at the age of 25.

“This is big for adoptees, but also for birth parents who harbored some hopes of being reunited with the child they put up for adoption,” Varnum said. “From my own experience, I can certainly say I hope adoptive parents look at this as an opportunity to share a big moment in their children’s lives. When I searched for my birth mother, the counsel and understanding my adoptive parents provided really strengthened our relationship.”

Adoptees and parents will be able to file a request form with the state’s Division of Vital Records Administration to start gaining access to the records. Adoptees will receive the name of their birth parents, a medical history and a contact preference from the birth mother.

The contact information should list whether the birth mother wanted to be contacted directly, indirectly or not at all.

Sen. Lou D’Allesandro, D-Manchester, sponsored the bill, which Gov. Craig Benson allowed to become law without his signature this spring.

The father of an adopted daughter, D’Allesandro said he has been overwhelmed by the number of people who have shown him gratitude for pushing the bill through.

“Some people have been waiting for a long time for this. I can’t believe the people who stop me on the street who are adopted and say they’ve been waiting for this,” D’Allesandro said. “You wouldn’t believe the number of adopted people out there.”

Opponents of the bill argued that opening records did not respect the wishes of the birth parents to remain anonymous, and could therefore discourage adoption.

D’Allesandro said others who have adopted children wishing to seek out their birth parents have nothing to fear.

“You know you have the love and affection of your child. This just lets them know who their biological parents are and the love you nurtured over the years continues and in my opinion it’s strengthened,” he said. “This makes sense for health reasons, if for nothing else, given the complexities of today’s medical situation.”