Add §581-208, Fam Ct Act; amd §2599-cc, Pub Health L
Enacts "Madison's law"; requires the department of health to establish procedures to expedite the timely verification and transmission of birth certificates for children born through surrogacy or adoption.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9025
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
September 5, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BLUMENCRANZ -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the family court act and the public health law, in
relation to ensuring the timely verification, transmission, and proc-
essing of amended birth certificates for children born through surro-
gacy or adoption, and to establish safeguards against denial of
healthcare coverage pending the issuance of a social security number
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 "Madison's Law".
3 § 2. Legislative intent. The legislature hereby finds and declares
4 that children born through surrogacy or adoption face unnecessary delays
5 in obtaining amended birth certificates and subsequent social security
6 numbers and/or federal identification due to bureaucratic inefficien-
7 cies. These delays jeopardize access to healthcare, prevent travel, and
8 impose undue hardship on families. It is the policy of the state of New
9 York to ensure that no child is left without identity documentation due
10 to administrative backlogs.
11 § 3. The family court act is amended by adding a new section 581-208
12 to read as follows:
13 § 581-208. Timely verification and transmission of amended birth
14 certificates. 1. The department of health shall verify and transmit
15 amended birth certificates issued pursuant to this article for children
16 born through surrogacy or adoption to relevant state and federal agen-
17 cies, including but not limited to the social security administration
18 and the state department of financial services, within fifteen days of
19 issuance of any request for verification.
20 2. Amended birth certificates linked to surrogacy or adoption shall
21 receive priority handling, and the department of health shall establish
22 procedures to expedite such verification.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13647-01-5
A. 9025 2
1 3. No insurer authorized to do business in this state shall commence
2 collection proceedings against a parent or guardian for medical expenses
3 incurred on behalf of a newborn pending the issuance of a social securi-
4 ty number, provided that proof of birth or an amended birth certificate
5 has been submitted.
6 4. The commissioner of health shall promulgate such rules and regu-
7 lations as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this section.
8 § 4. Section 2599-cc of the public health law is amended by adding two
9 new subdivisions 3 and 4 to read as follows:
10 3. The commissioner shall establish a special liaison unit within the
11 department to assist families of children born through surrogacy or
12 adoption in navigating amended birth certificate processing and related
13 documentation requirements. Such unit shall:
14 (a) ensure that amended birth certificates are transmitted to relevant
15 agencies within the timeframes set forth in section 581-208 of the fami-
16 ly court act;
17 (b) provide families with real-time updates regarding the status of
18 amended birth certificate processing; and
19 (c) coordinate directly with state and federal agencies, including the
20 social security administration and the state department of financial
21 services, to expedite verification and prevent undue delays.
22 4. The commissioner shall further develop and maintain an electronic
23 verification system that enables relevant state and federal agencies,
24 including but not limited to the social security administration and the
25 department of health, to access and confirm amended birth certificates
26 securely and efficiently. Such system shall be designed to eliminate
27 paper-based delays and ensure timely interagency communication.
28 § 5. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
29 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
30 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the timely
31 implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be
32 made and completed by the commissioner of health.
