COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – A South Carolina bill passed by a group of senators would allow adoptees who meet certain criteria to see their sealed birth certificate.
    
Members of a Senate subcommittee approved a bill Thursday allowing adoptees age 21 and older access to their birth certificate kept on file by the Department of Health and Environmental Control if either biological parent agrees.
    
Democratic Sen. Brad Hutto of Orangeburg says the legislation should also allow a limited release of information pertaining to medical records if it helps diagnose or treat an illness.
    
DHEC says the agency doesn’t keep family medical history information of birth parents.
    
Current law seals the identity of biological parents.
    
The bill introduced in the House last year would go into effect one year after it’s signed by the governor.