A 7840: Provides that consenting registrants of the adoption information registry may pre-authorize the release of identifying information.
The bill aims to amend the public health law to allow for the release of identifying information of consenting adoptees from the adoption registry. The law currently requires the department to release identifying information to an authorized agency involved in the adoption, but this bill changes that to release the information to the consenting adoptees themselves. The information released will be limited to the names and addresses of the consenting adoptees and will not include any other adoption or birth records. The bill also establishes rules for the creation of a pre-authorization consent form, which will be used by adoptees, birth parents, and biological siblings to consent to the release of identifying information. The changes will take effect on the 30th day after the bill becomes law.
- What is the current status of A 7840?
- As of May 29, 2026, A 7840 is recorded as "Passed first house": it has passed the chamber it started in and is now before the second chamber. The last recorded action, on May 28, 2026, was "RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY".
- Did A 7840 pass?
- Not yet. A 7840 has passed its house of origin and is now before the second chamber, where it needs committee approval and a floor vote.
- Who wrote A 7840, and where is it now?
- A 7840 was authored by Asm. David Weprin with 1 coauthor. It is filed under PBH, alongside 184 other New York PBH bills this session.
| May. 28, 2026 | RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY |
| May. 28, 2026 | PASSED SENATE |
| May. 28, 2026 | 3RD READING CAL.977 |
| May. 28, 2026 | SUBSTITUTED FOR S6578A |
| May. 05, 2026 | REFERRED TO HEALTH |
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7840 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY April 11, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Health AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the release of identifying information of consenting registrants from the adoption registry The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 6 of section 4138-c of the public health law, 2 as amended by chapter 181 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as 3 follows: 4 6. Upon receipt of a final consent or if given pre-authorization on 5 the appropriate form by the adoptee, by either of the birth parents, 6 and/or by a biological sibling of the adoptee, the department shall, 7 unless the adoptee or biological sibling registrant shall elect other- 8 wise, if an authorized agency was involved in such adoption, release 9 identifying information to such agency; such agency shall thereafter 10 promptly release identifying information about the consenting regis- 11 trants to the consenting registrants. If no authorized agency was 12 involved, or if any registrant shall have elected not to have release of 13 the information by the authorized agency involved in such adoption the 14 department shall release identifying information to the consenting 15 registrants. Such identifying information shall be limited to the names 16 and addresses of the consenting registrants and shall not include any 17 other information contained in the adoption or birth records. However, 18 nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the release of 19 adoption records as otherwise permitted by law. 20 § 2. Section 206 of the public health law is amended by adding a new 21 subdivision 33 to read as follows: 22 33. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations for the 23 creation of a pre-authorization form to be used by an adoptee, either of 24 the birth parents, and/or a biological sibling to consent to the release EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD11033-01-5A. 7840 2 1 of the consenting registrants' identifying information to the consenting 2 registrants. 3 § 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall 4 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or 5 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of 6 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed 7 on or before such effective date.