Diana Higgenbottom is pictured during the filming of “Love Differently,” a short documentary film depicting her journey of adoption and finding her identity. (Photo by Emma Siewert/Courtesy of Racine County Eye)

This report is republished by agreement with the Racine County Eye, where it originally appeared.

If a bill making its way through the sponsorship process becomes law, adult Wisconsin adoptees for the first time will have access to their original birth certificates.

Advocates say the measure is a long-overdue correction to a system that keeps vital identity and medical information hidden from the very people it concerns.

“We’re not asking for anything extraordinary,” said Diana Higgenbottom Anagnostopoulos. “We’re just asking for the right to know who we are.”

Renewed push, familiar champions

The proposed legislation — currently known as LRB-3879/1 — was introduced by State Rep. Paul Tittl (R-Manitowoc) and State Sen. André Jacque (R-New Franken). According to Steve Hall, spokesperson for Tittl, this is not the first time Tittl has championed this cause.

“This was the first bill that he introduced back in 2014,” Hall said in an interview. “And he’s introduced it every session since.”

Hall noted that Tittl is not adopted himself but believes strongly in adoptees’ rights. “He just thinks that people ought to have that right,” he said.

The bill would give adult adoptees access to their original, unredacted birth certificates—something currently restricted under Wisconsin law. While most modern adoptions are open, Hall said that a small but significant number—about five percent—remain closed, which can leave adoptees in the dark about crucial health and identity information.

“We spoke with someone who was close to 50 years old,” he added. “She had been worried about health conditions she thought ran in the family, only to learn after her adoptive parents passed away that she’d been adopted. When she finally got her real family history, it turned out she was concerned about the wrong things all along.”

Groundwork from the grassroots

Behind the renewed momentum is former Racine resident and adoptee Diana Higgenbottom Anagnostopoulos, who has worked with legislators and advocates across the country.

She traveled to Madison in late July to speak with lawmakers and staff, sharing clips from “Love Differently,” a documentary she produced that highlights the emotional and legal struggles adult adoptees face.

“When we were in Madison, we knocked on as many doors as we could,” she said. “It’s about educating lawmakers. Most people don’t even realize this is still an issue.”

According to Anagnostopoulos, several lawmakers have shown early support. Rep. Angelito Tenorio (D-West Allis) and Sen. Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield) — who now represent Anagnostopoulos’s district after redistricting — were among the first to notify her when the bill began circulating. She now lives in Wauwatosa.

“Tenorio emailed me first thing the morning it started to circulate,” Anagnostopoulos said. “He made a promise to help restore our civil rights.”

She also credited the office of state Rep. Robert Wittke (R-Caledonia) with keeping her updated.

“They’ve been stellar. They actually sent me the draft of the new bill introduction,” Anagnostopoulos explained.

Civil rights and medical realities

Anagnostopoulos sees the legislation as a civil rights issue, not a challenge to birth parents’ privacy.

“We’re not asking for our full adoption file,” she explained. “We just want our original birth certificate. There’s nothing in it that should be controversial—it’s just a record of who we are.”

She also pointed out that adoptees face practical barriers because of redacted records.

“With REAL ID requirements, some of us can’t even prove who we truly are with the documents we have,” she said.

While some critics argue that birth parents may have chosen closed adoptions for privacy reasons, Anagnostopoulos and others believe that does not outweigh an adoptee’s right to know.

“I didn’t sign up for this. I was a baby — I didn’t consent to having my identity sealed,” she said. “We’re not trying to show up for Thanksgiving. We just want to know who we are.”

A long legislative road

Despite the growing support, Hall said it’s too soon to predict whether the bill will pass this session.

“There’s a lot of momentum, yes—but as we’ve seen with other bills, anything can happen,” he said, pointing to Tittl’s previous efforts that stalled despite early enthusiasm.

The co-sponsorship period for the bill closes July 31. After that, the Speaker of the Assembly Robin Vos has 10 working days to assign a bill number and refer it to a committee.

“We’ll know more in the next couple weeks,” Hall said. “But there’s no question: the groundswell of support is bigger than it’s ever been.”

A story told on screen

The issue gained visibility with the release of “Love Differently,” which features Anagnostopoulos’s own story and others across the country. The film was screened earlier this year in Sturtevant and won an award at the 2024 Door County Film Festival.

According to a story from CBS 58, the documentary showcases both the emotional and legal dimensions of adoptee experiences.

One scene features a New York state senator changing his position during live testimony. Anagnostopoulos shared that clip with lawmakers in Madison to show what can happen when people truly listen.

“This feels different,” she said of the current bill. “It feels like we’re closer than we’ve ever been.”

Broader momentum across the U.S.

According to a report from Adoptees United, Wisconsin’s efforts mirror a broader national movement. States like Oregon, New York, and Illinois have passed laws restoring unrestricted access to original birth certificates.

Wisconsin has introduced several similar bills in past sessions, including SB 483/AB 502 in 2021, but none have passed.

“Change is coming,” Anagnostopoulos said. “Whether it’s this year or not — I believe we’ll get there.”

Reports republished from Racine County Eye are not available for republishing elsewhere.

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