Right now in New York state, adoptees don’t have any access to their own birth certificates or adoption records.

Thursday, Spectrum News sat down with adoptee rights advocate Christopher Philippo, who was adopted himself in 1973. It wasn’t until 2001 that the Troy native found out who his biological mother was, thanks to what he calls an expensive private investigation, and not until just last month, when he learned about his biological father.

Now, the 45-year-old is working with lawmakers and other advocates across the state, pushing to pass the Adoptee Bill of Rights, known as the "Clean Bill." The act, sponsored by State Assemblyman David Weprin, would give New York adoptees the right to receive their original birth certificate once they turn 18-years-old.

“One of the most frustrating things was those years of not being able to provide any information to my doctor and not knowing if my biological parents were even alive," said Philippo. "With my adoptive family, some members died relatively young, like my adoptive father, and that’s something that you kinda want to know."

Assemblyman David Weprin says the bill has about 90 co-sponsors, and confidence is high it will pass in both houses soon before being sent to Governor Andrew Cuomo's office.