1943: Washington began issuing amended birth certificates and sealing original birth certificates
All but two states (Alaska and Kansas) created similar laws. At the time it was believed sealing records would be beneficial to adoptees. It was believed that sealing original birth certificates and issuing amended birth certificates would combat the stigma of illegitimacy. At the time it was not understood that this imposed secrecy could be detrimental to identity formation and sense of self.
1993: Washington passes a law that granted conditional access to original birth certificates to some adoptees.
WA-CARE's Blog 