VirginiaHB3012026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Adult adoptees; access to vital records.

Sponsored By: Katrina Callsen (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Adult adoptees; access to vital records. Requires the State Registrar to provide adult adoptees access to their birth certificate upon request, provided that the requester submits an application, proof of identification, and payment and that the original birth certificate is not the certificate of birth in use, subject to amendment, or used by an individual for legal purposes. The bill directs the State Registrar to make a contact preference form available to birth parents that allows them to indicate their preference for contact by the adopted person, to be stored with the adopted person's birth certificate and provided upon the adopted person's request for the birth certificate. This bill incorporates HB 664.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

New birth certificates after family changes

You can get a new Virginia birth certificate after an adoption when an adoption report or certified decree is filed; the court, adoptive parents, or an adopted adult can ask that no new certificate be issued. If you have a final Virginia paternity order or legitimation, the Registrar issues a new certificate once you state no appeal is pending. Intended parents who used surrogacy get a certificate in their names when a qualifying court order or surrogate report is filed. You can change the sex on your birth certificate with a provider‑completed form; no proof of surgery is required. You can also ask a circuit court to recognize your sex change. If the adoption decree is later amended, the Registrar updates the certificate, and when issuing a new certificate after adoption, the Registrar gives a list of post‑adoption services.

Adult adoptees can get original records

If you are an adopted person age 18 or older, you can apply to the Department of Social Services for names and other identifying information. The Commissioner has 30 days to assign an agency to contact the birth family; disclosure needs good cause. If the Commissioner does not assign in 30 days or denies you, you can ask the circuit court where you live (or where the Department’s central office is) to order release. If a birth parent is deceased or mentally incapacitated, the Commissioner discloses identifying information on good cause; a court may also order release. You can get your original birth certificate and any contact‑preference form by sending a written request and ID; the Registrar provides copies and mails the sealed original when access is granted. Reasonable fees can apply. Nonidentifying information is open only to adult adoptees and licensed agencies or by court order. If your adoptive parents are living, their home study is shared only with their written permission. Courts and child‑placing agencies must send adoption orders and files to the Department, which keeps them for these purposes.

Faster birth certificates for military families

If at least one adoptive parent is active duty, retired military, or in the reserves and you tell the court clerk in writing, the clerk must send the records and a military status notice to the State Registrar within five business days. After the Registrar gets the records and your completed request, the Registrar speeds up the new birth certificate.

Rules for old sealed birth records

When a new birth certificate is created, the original and related evidence are sealed and not open to the public. The sealed original cannot be amended or used for legal purposes. If no birth record exists, you must file a delayed birth certificate before the Registrar issues a new one, unless the adoption case already proved date, place, and parentage. If an adoption is annulled, the Registrar restores the original certificate and seals the newer record.

Virginia birth certificates for foreign-born adoptees

For a person born abroad, the State Registrar registers a Virginia birth certificate when a foreign adoption is finalized or a Virginia court enters a final adoption. The court, adoptive parents, or the adopted adult can ask that no Virginia certificate be created. The certificate shows the true or probable country of birth and states it is not proof of U.S. citizenship. If the adopted person has U.S. citizenship and provides evidence, the Registrar issues a certificate without that statement.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Katrina Callsen

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 271 • No: 38

Senate vote 3/4/2026

Passed Senate

Yes: 28 • No: 12

Senate vote 3/3/2026

Passed Senate

Yes: 33 • No: 7

Senate vote 3/3/2026

Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate

Yes: 38 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/2/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 39 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/2/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/27/2026

Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services

Yes: 13 • No: 1 • Other: 1

Senate vote 2/26/2026

Rereferred from Education and Health to Rehabilitation and Social Services Block Vote

Yes: 13 • No: 0

House vote 1/28/2026

Read third time and passed House

Yes: 84 • No: 10

House vote 1/22/2026

Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute

Yes: 16 • No: 6

House vote 1/20/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute

Yes: 7 • No: 2

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0587)

    4/13/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 587 (effective 7/1/2026)

    4/13/2026Governor
  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/14/2026Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

    3/14/2026House
  5. Signed by Speaker

    3/12/2026House
  6. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB301)

    3/11/2026House
  7. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB301ER)

    3/11/2026House
  8. Enrolled

    3/11/2026House
  9. Signed by President

    3/11/2026Senate
  10. Passed Senate (28-Y 12-N 0-A)

    3/4/2026Senate
  11. Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/3/2026Senate
  12. Passed Senate (33-Y 7-N 0-A)

    3/3/2026Senate
  13. Passed by for the day

    3/3/2026Senate
  14. Read third time

    3/3/2026Senate
  15. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    3/2/2026Senate
  16. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/2/2026Senate
  17. Rules suspended

    3/2/2026Senate
  18. Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services (13-Y 1-N 1-A)

    2/27/2026Senate
  19. Rereferred from Education and Health to Rehabilitation and Social Services Block Vote (13-Y 0-N)

    2/26/2026Senate
  20. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB301)

    2/13/2026House
  21. Referred to Committee on Education and Health

    1/29/2026Senate
  22. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    1/29/2026Senate
  23. Read third time and passed House (84-Y 10-N 0-A)

    1/28/2026House
  24. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

    1/27/2026House
  25. committee substitute agreed to

    1/27/2026House

Bill Text

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