A law that took effect two weeks ago is giving adoptees born in New York the unrestricted right for the first time to access their original birth certificates.

“In my 10 years in the legislature, it is probably my most significant piece of legislation that became law,” said Assemblyman David Weprin of the measure he sponsored.

The law, which took effect January 15th, unsealed original birth records for people who were adopted. The records were sealed in the 1930s.“That birth certificate means more to them than anyone else,” said Weprin.

Now, adoptees born in New York State but outside of the city can file an application in-person, online, or by mail with the State Health Department.

But adoptees born in the city can only apply for their birth records by mail.  The city health department estimates it has received 1,750 applications, but it would not say how many of them have been fulfilled. The agency says it will take as much as four months to handle each one. Weprin says he is not happy with the city's response.

“It passed in June and it was a delayed effective date so health departments could get their act in place to get these birth certificates, so there is really no reason there should be a delay for New York City residents or for people adopted in New York City to get their birth certificates,” said Weprin.

The state health department says it has received more than 5,800 applications and fulfilled 523 of them.

“I applied for it early in the morning on the 15th when the law went into effect and I received it in the mail on the 22nd, so just one week’s time. It was shocking that it came so quickly,” said one woman adopted from outside of New York City. She spoke anonymously because her adoptive family is not aware of her efforts to locate her birth parents.

“I’m not trying to shame the city into acting quickly. Anything they can do to put more personnel on this and resolve the delay would be a significant benefit for those individuals adopted in New York City,” said Weprin.

Advocates of adoptee rights say that New York State’s processing time is exceptionally fast and they applaud the effort. “New York City residents will be able to order online within the next few weeks, which we anticipate will result in a more customer-friendly process. In addition, we have reassigned staff to take on the new workload,” the city health department said in a statement.