Gov. M. Jodi Rell on Thursday, June 1, 2006 vetoed the adoption rights bill that would have allowed adults who were adopted as children to obtain a copy of their original birth certificate when they turn 21.

According to a news article, the governor feels the bill jeopardized the privacy rights of natural mothers who placed their children for adoption with the understanding that their personal information would remain confidential. The Governor was quoted saying that the right to privacy is "a basic tenet of personal freedom" and the bill "violates that principle."

Senator Bill Finch was also quoted in the article saying "This is a slap in the face to all adoptees in the state, their parents and their birth parents who are trying to reunite," It is believed that the senator is an adopted person.

Senator Ed Meyer was quoted in the article saying that the bill was not retroactive and any birth parent who put their child up for adoption in the past need not worry. The bill would have applied only to adoptions occurring after Oct. 1 of this year. Adoptees would not be able to gain access to their birth records until 2027 at the earliest.

CT state law currently allows adults who were adopted to access their sealed adoption records after obtaining consent from their biological parents. The process is done through the state Department of Children and Families or a particular adoption agency. Sealed adoption records may also be made available through an order by a probate court.

The Governor also states that she understands the desire of adoptees to want to know their ethnic, religious or cultural background or the possibilities of genetic medical concerns. However, the Governor also stated that she needs to protect the rights of women whose children are currently up for adoption whose adoptions may not be finalized until after the bill takes and effect and the privacy protections are lifted.

The Governor has asked the legislature to rewrite the legislation next session in a way that better balanced the rights of the natural parents and the desire of adoptees to obtain information.