Access to Birth Certificates in Adoption

Last week, Gov. Deval Patrick signed a new law, St.2007, c.109 , which grants adoptees access to their original birth certificates after they turn 18. The law does not apply to all adopted people, however. You can get a copy of your original birth certificate only if you are an "adopted person 18 years of age or older who was born in the commonwealth on or before July 17, 1974 or on or after January 1, 2008 or ... an adoptive parent of an adopted person under 18 years of age and born in the commonwealth on or after January 1, 2008."