LANSING, Mich., Oct. 18, 2023 – State Reps. Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids) and Pat Outman (R-Six Lakes) recently introduced House Bills 5148 and 5149. These bills take a monumental step toward ensuring equality and transparency in the lives of adoptees and seek to alleviate the cumbersome and inequitable process that adoptees have historically faced to obtain their original birth records. These changes are achieved by amending sections of the Public Health Code and Probate Code, respectively.
“This lack of access is an issue that has personally impacted my family and so many others who we have come to know in this journey.” Grant said “These bills highlight Michigan’s dedication to fairness, transparency and the recognition of every citizen’s right to know their origins.”
Under the proposed legislation, adoptees will have a clear path to obtaining their sought information. This access will allow adoptees to access vital medical information, passports, and other items that can currently be denied for some. These bills aim to strike a balance between respecting the privacy concerns of birth parents and upholding the right of adoptees to know their origins and live full lives. By doing so, Michigan will join a growing number of states that have recognized the importance of granting equal access to birth certificates.
“For too long, those that have been adopted have had to deal with too many obstacles standing in their way. This legislation will ensure that they will have access to the official documents they need,” Outman said.
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