What is being done to change the law and who is fighting it?

Question

It seems a simple & obvious thing that laws regarding adoption are outdated. Of course everyone should have access to their original birth certificate. For that matter, agreements regarding open adoption should be enforceable unless harm to the child is proven.

So is it just that states are slow to change their laws (adoption is a low priority, adoption issues are not given enough publicity)? Or are there groups that actively lobby against these things?

Answer 1

Laurie and Gershom have given you good resources for what is being done in favor of opening records.

You asked if there were groups fighting against open records.  There are.  The biggest cheerleader against adoptees having full access and equal rights is probably the NCFA.  There are other groups that work against the rights of adoptees, as well.  It looks to be a long hard fight.  But with people like Laurie and Gershom working on it, I think we'll make it eventually.

Answer 2

Here is my most recent blog post on the issue..... i'm just copying and pasting and some of the stuff on my blog is linked which doesn't cross over here so if you want the links you've got to go to http://www.adopteerights.net

Michigan:

House Bill 4896 - ( you can download a pdf version of the bill here ) After speaking with my contact for the Michigan team for open records, word has it the Michigan Senate’s Family and Human Services Committee are planning on meeting with members of Bethany Christian Services to get an adoption agency’s point of view. Open records advocates in the state of Michigan can get involved by contacting Dee at this group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MichiganSe... or via her email: [e-mail]

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Minnesota

House Bill HF1445 - ( bill text here ) This bill in my opinion is a dirty bill, it does contain a contact veto and I think those are a violation of adoptees and our rights. We shouldn’t need the permission of anyone to access OUR birth certificates.

There is also a search registry bill HF 1994 in house for this state as well.

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Missouri:

House Bill 1758 was pulled recently and word on the web is only a few people are really sure WHY it was pulled and they’re talking about that here.

Research tells me there is one other bill in house for the state of Missouri facing adoptees and our access to our records.

SB1132 ( download pdf version here )It has a contact preference ( which is different than a veto ) which allows for the natural parent to include a preference for contact or not. It also has a medical update form for the parents who decline contact, and includes a contract that if there is written request for no contact, the adoptee must sign promising no contact attempts to be made in the future. This bill appears NOT to include a veto which would seal the adoptees file upon the request of a surrendering parent. No veto is a very good thing!

HB 1640 (full text here) is also a traceable bill, however is not currently on calendar so it appears that this one has been pulled as well.

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New Jersey Bill S611 has been quite the talk of the net. Although it has a contact veto its getting alot of publicity because DMC the late discovery adoptee celebrity testified on behalf of the bill. The bill has passed house and has now moved into Senate for review. You can listen to all of the testimonies in support and against the bill by clicking here.

I consider this bill a dirty bill, because it contains a veto. Thats a compromise I just can’t take on my own path for adoptees and our equality. All of nothing imo.

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New York A2277 - Unsealed Initiative has been taking on the legislation in New York for YEARS. This is a clean bill, it has tones of support and they could always use more!! So click on the link to their website and if you’re in the area GET INVOLVED!!! They are calling for mothers in the state and fathers who’ve lost their children to adoption to sign a petition stating they were never promised secrecy. The unsealed initiative website is full of information, testimonies and more so please check it out and help NY adoptees achieve equality!

We are lobbying in Albany on tuesday march 4th–no rally. the assembly bill A2277 which has 64 sponsors and enough votes to pass is being held up by the Speaker Sheldon Silver.

We are lobbying with letters, calls,faxes and in person in Albany on tuesday March 4th

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver

LOB 932

Albany, NY 12248

phone [phone]

Fax: [phone]

no e-mail

Tell his office you want a vote on A2277 now!

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Ohio HB7: In regards to adoptees and our access to our records, this bill is a clean open records bill. Some people, including myself, feel that certain things also in the bill are considered dirty. But since this is an adoptee rights ONLY site, I’m going to leave it with that, and include the rest on my own personal blog. This bill hasn’t gotten too far yet, so we’re just watching and waiting. Marley the wonderful Bastardette has a great recap of some testimonies on her blog you can find HERE, in support of this bill.

Get involved with Ohios Activist group today: OHIOBEA

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South Carolina H3172: is also a dirty bill, containing a veto. Lets get involved to kill it while we can shall we?

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Texas HB525 was pulled ( thank you!) Amy from “Adoption and its Triad” is keeping an eye on things for Texas and isn’t going to let anything dirty get through! Shes keeping it real down there and holding it down for adoptees and our equality. She also has informed me that TXCare was supporting a dirty bill, so I want to put the heads up on that.

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Utah HB 0289: Many of us who have been involved in adoption laws and watching the news surrounding adoptions over the years, have come to know and understand that Utah is the most corrupt state in the country for wicked adoption laws. I could list the scandals that go on in this state with my eyes closed and probably make a list a mile long. So its no surprise to me that the bill in Utah right now, for adoptees and our rights STINKS.

If this bill passes, adoptees must be at least 30 years old to petition the courts for a CI who then asks our surrendering parents permission before we can even request our birth certificates.

Needless to say, this bill, must die.

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West Virginia HB 4135 : Dottie a wonderful woman in West Virginia has been working night and day on this essentially all by herself. She had a clean bill submitted and it was altered once in house, and shes now working on having it pulled. Thank you Dottie for all of your hard work on behalf of the adoptees in your state, and around the country fighting for their equality!!

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Here is a list of all of the reform groups I know currently gathering the masses for a bill for the future, or working on one currently:

    * Illinois

    * Indiana

    * New York

    * Ohio

    * Calfornia - A friend Laurie and I are talking of starting one up for our state after the protest, so Cali open records supporters get ready!!!! Its almost OUR TURN!!

And of course for awesome advice and information becoming a member to b*****d Nation and getting on their email list is the place to be for groups wanting to achieve open records in their state!

I think this is going to be a strong year for adoptees and since there are a few current bills floating around for our rights that some of us are involved in I thought I’d post up a couple of good links on how to contact your state legislatures, what to say and how to influence them.

b*****d Nation has a great “Influencing legislation” page found at www.b******s.org and clicking on “act”

http://www.b******s.org/activism/act.htm...

American Adoption Congress also has a good Reform section that has an influencing legislation among other things worth reading for anyone getting into writing, calling, and interacting their state Leggies.

http://www.americanadoptioncongress.org/...

There is a plethora of good resources in the above two links alone, so please, if you’re going to get involved in state activism read them and check them out. BN has examples of letters, what to say in calls, as does the AAC.

Answer 3

The states dont give a d**n about abortion. I think they need to hear the ppl speak now. The government is just messed up and need more realitic ppl.

Answer 4

I'm not sure, but if there aren't groups lobbying to change things, then you should start one.  Be bold!  Make changes!

Answer 5

There are very vocal groups working on change.  One group that has been directly behind the re-opening of records to adopted citizens is b*****d Nation.  http://www.b******s.org

BN was the organization that was behind the re-opening of records in Alabama (1999) and Oregon (2000.)  It was also very influential in the re-opening of records in New Hampshire (2005) and Maine (2007.)

Other organizations working for/supporting this cause include

*Concerned United Birthparents http://www.cubirthparents.org

*Origins-USA http://www.origins-usa.net

*Mothers for Open Records Everywhere http://www.geocities.com/moreopenrecords...

*New York Unsealed Initiative http://www.unsealedinitiative.org/

*Illinois Open http://blogspot.illinoisopen.com

*Buckeyes for Equal Access (Ohio) http://www.myspace.com/beaohio

*Indiana Open http://groups.yahoo.com/group/indianaope...

I'm sure I've left off plenty of groups.  These were just a few I thought of right away.

ETA:

Gersh, thanks for posting the current bills!