Rep. Biggs files bill in North Carolina House to update birth certificate process for adoptees

A new bill filed by State Rep. Brian Biggs in the North Carolina House seeks to align birth certificate procedures for adoptees with those for non-adopted individuals, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 818 on April 7 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Birth Certificates for Persons Adopted.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill aims to align the process of issuing new birth certificates for adopted individuals with those for individuals who are not adopted, effective Oct. 1, 2025. It mandates that upon adoption, the State Registrar prepares a new birth certificate reflecting the adoptee’s name, sex, state, and date of birth, as well as the full names of adoptive parents without reference to the adoption. In stepparent adoptions, the original city and county of birth remain unchanged, and parental names may remain if all parties agree and request it before the adoption decree. Original birth records are sealed, with certified copies of new certificates provided to specified relatives. The bill also provides procedures for integrating adoption records from other states.

A related bill, SB 248, was also filed in the North Carolina Senate, introduced by Sen. Todd Johnson (and two others) on March 6, 2025.

Of the three sponsors of this bill, Donnie Loftis proposed the most bills (45) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Biggs, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 70th House district, replacing previous state representative Patricia Hurley.