Republican Governor Chris Christie and the Democratic New Jersey legislature have come up with a compromise to allow folks adopted in New Jersey to access their original birth records.
Birth parents of children adopted before Aug. 1, 2015 will now have the ability to decide if they want their names disclosed to their children. Children born after August 1, 2015, and given up for adoption will have their names automatically disclosed.
Adoptees, as well as their birth parents have been trying for a change of some sort since since 1980! The legislature passed a bill, but Christie issued a conditional veto on Monday – then a a compromise agreement was worked out. Action is expected on a final version of the bill which the Governor has agreed to sign sometime in May.
