Vital records: adoptees’ birth certificates.

Legislative status

1. Introduced
2. In Committee
3. Reported by Committee
4. Floor Vote Scheduled
5. Passed One Chamber
6. Passed Both Chambers
7. Sent to Executive
8. Signed into Law

Summary

The bill changes California law so that people who were adopted, and the heirs of a deceased adoptee, can request the sealed original birth certificate that was filed at birth. It also creates a contact‑preference form for birth parents and removes the ability of adoptive parents to hide the birth facility or the parents’ race and color on the new certificate. The changes aim to give adoptees more access to their birth information while protecting birth‑parent privacy.

AI-generated summary — may be incomplete or inaccurate. Verify against the official bill text.

Vote

Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 35. Noes 0. Page 3299.) Ordered to the Assembly. · Jan 27, 2026

Hearings

• Appropriations Committee Hearing
  Appropriations · Aug 13, 2026
• Appropriations Committee Hearing
  Appropriations · Aug 5, 2026
• Judiciary Committee Hearing
  Judiciary · Jun 30, 2026
• Health Committee Hearing
  Health · Jun 23, 2026
• Health Committee Hearing
  Health · Jun 16, 2026

History

1. May 21, 2026From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
2. May 4, 2026Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and JUD.
3. Jan 27, 2026Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 35. Noes 0. Page 3299.) Ordered to the Assembly.
4. Jan 27, 2026In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
5. Jan 26, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
6. Jan 22, 2026Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
7. Jan 22, 2026From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 3268.) (January 22).
8. Jan 21, 2026Set for hearing January 22.
9. Jan 20, 2026January 20 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
10. Jan 16, 2026Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
11. Jan 15, 2026From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 3224.) (January 14).
12. Jan 14, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 3214.) (January 13). Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.

The 12 most recent of 21 recorded actions.

Sponsors

• Aisha Wahab (D) · sponsor
• Archuleta
• Ashby
• Blakespear
• Cervantes
• Choi
• Cortese
• Haney
• McGuire
• McNerney
• Ochoa Bogh
• Ortega
• Pérez
• Richardson
• Smallwood-Cuevas
• Valladares
• Wahab
• Wiener

Bill text

Opens the legislature’s own copy.

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