Assemblyman Brian Manktelow (R,C,I,Ref-Lyons) was pleased to be able to stand with his colleague Assemblyman David I. Weprin and adoptee rights advocates from across New York to call for the passage of a bill he has sponsored, “The Clean Bill of Adoptee Rights,” which would establish the right for adopted children to receive a certified copy of their birth certificate once they turn 18.

“If someone has the desire to know where and who they came from, they deserve the right to be able to find out that information,” said Manktelow. “As the father to two adopted children, I fully support any adoptees’ decision to pursue their family history. By providing a person with their birth certificate at the age of 18, it gives them the chance to find out so much about themselves-their medical history, ancestry, ethnic background and so much more. Everyone will have their own reason for wanting this information; I think it is only fair that we allow them to be provided with the starting point to their journey to self-discovery.”