Missouri adoption more open

Missouri Senate gives initial OK to adoption record access expansion Tuesday, February 16, 2010 | 4:18 p.m. CST BY The Associated Press JEFFERSON CITY — Adult adoptees in Missouri could have more access to their birth and medical records under a bill given initial approval by the Senate. The bill discussed Tuesday would grant people adopted after Aug. 28 of this year access to their birth certificate once they turn 18. Currently, adoptees who were born in Missouri must go through the court system or get consent from their birth mother to access their official birth certificate. The legislation would let people adopted before Aug. 28 of this year have access to any medical history available. The state registrar would still have to attempt to contact the birth mother for permission to release a copy of the original birth certificate. Adult adoptees could get immediate access to their records if the birth mother had since died.