How Wisconsin is Helping Children of Adoptees Trace Their Roots

Special to Green Bay News Network by Senator Rob Cowles

2021 Wisconsin Act 150 – What it Does & Why it Was Passed

Under law, if an adult person was adopted and their birth parents’ parental rights were revoked, the adult person may request their original birth certificate and other valuable information.

The Department of Children and Families will then release that information, but only if the original birth parents are deceased or have filed paperwork allowing that information to be released.

This legislation allows the adult child of an adoptee to receive the same information if their parent (the adoptee) and the adoptee’s original birth parents are all deceased.

With a growing interest in genealogy research, Wisconsinites often have an interest in tracing back their lineage. But if their parent was adopted, that could be difficult as those records may be sealed.

Act 150 (the idea for which came from a constituent) allows the adult child of an adoptee to access the original birth certificate and information about their parent’s birth parents if all three elder parties are deceased, making it easier for Wisconsinites to know about their genealogical past and connect with their roots.

More Information HERE.

Cowles is the State Senator for Wisconsin’s 2nd District serving Brown, Outagamie, Shawano and Waupaca Counties.