ALBANY -- A 20-year-old bill that would make it easier for adoptees over the age of 18 to get their original birth records is up again in the New York Legislature, where backers say it has more momentum than in the past.

Supporters of the Bill of Adoptee Rights argue that information from unsealed birth records is vital to the medical and mental health of adoptees, while opponents claim that easing disclosure rules could violate a biological parent's privacy.

The bill, which was first introduced during the 1993-1994 session, had failed to gain a critical mass of support in the Assembly until recently. Assemblyman David Weprin, a member of the Democratic majority and sponsor of the bill, said this week it has 80 sponsors, including members across the aisle. The same bill in the Senate is sponsored by Republican Senator Andrew Lanza.

"An adoptee has the right to know basic information about themselves," said Weprin. "Why should they be discriminated against for a missing piece of the puzzle that is their identity?"

The proposed law would give adoptees in the state the right to get copies of their unsealed birth certificate and medical history form, if available. Unsealed birth certificates contain their original birth name, the name of their biological parents, the biological parents' address at the time of birth, the date and location of birth, as well as religious and ethnic heritage.

The original birth certificate could indicate if the adoptee had any medical complications at the time of birth and include the medical history of the biological parents. Proponents argue that adoptees should have that information to help determine if there are any health issues that could have been inherited from the biological parents and whether they should take any preventive measures.

Under current New York law, adoptees can file a request with the courts to obtain their unsealed birth certificate and medical information, but they run the risk of being denied if a judge decides the reason for the request is insubstantial. If a birth certificate is released, the biological parents aren't notified unless they filed a consent form to release their contact information. Biological parents are notified of requests for their medical records.

The proposed law has new notification rules. Once the original birth certificate is requested, the biological parent would be notified and given the option to be contacted by the adoptee directly, be contacted by the adoptee through an intermediary, or not to be contacted at all. The adoptee would still have access to their biological parents name and last known residence regardless of the biological parents opting not to be contacted.

Opponents of the bill say that the measure could leave biological parents who were promised confidentiality vulnerable to unwanted interaction with the adoptees, including possibly putting them in danger.