Senate Bill 388 aims to enhance access to original impounded birth records for adoptees in Wisconsin. The bill allows any adoptee who is 18 years or older to request an uncertified copy of their original unaltered birth record, which has previously been impounded. This change eliminates the requirement for an affidavit from birth parents to grant access, thereby streamlining the process for adoptees seeking information about their origins. The bill also mandates that the state registrar inform the requester about existing laws regarding access to information about their birth parents when issuing the uncertified copy.

In addition to expanding access, the bill includes several amendments and deletions to existing statutes. Notably, it repeals the provision that limited access to original birth records based on birth parent consent and consolidates various sections related to the handling of birth records. The bill maintains certain restrictions for adoptions involving Indian children and updates the fee structure for issuing uncertified copies of vital records. Overall, the legislation seeks to provide greater transparency and accessibility for adoptees regarding their birth records.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 48.433(2), 48.433, 48.433(3)(a), 48.433(8)(a), 69.22(1)(b), 69.22