New Law May Be Implicated Next Year

A new law allowing adoptees to request and receive non-certified copies of their original birth records will be implemented on July 1 of next year. Currently, birth records are sealed and birth parents may submit an affidavit of disclosure or non-disclosure to provide or restrict an adoptee’s access. Starting next year, birth parents can fill out a form that indicates a preference on whether or not they’d like to be contacted by an adoptee over 18. More information, as well as the preference form, are available on the Minnesota Department of Health birth records and adoption webpage.