Adoptee Rights Bills to Support in 2015

adoptee rights bills to support 2015 copy

Connecticut, Indiana, Iowa, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts,  Missouri, & Montana all to have Adoptee Bills in their State Capitols

 

A new year is here and with that it is time to roll out the Adoptee Rights Bills to Support in 2015. Just like the 2014 and 2013 lists, this will be a living list where things like bill numbers do get updated. However, for the most recent activity on any one state’s pending legislation and  needed support, please refer to the websites and Facebook pages. If you know of additional states where legislation is pending this year, please do let me know.

Last year’s list included Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Georgia. Happy to announce that New Jersey and Colorado are considered done. Connecticut also set out and made some successful changes in 2014.

While the Adoptee Rights Coalition organizes a national demonstration each year, it is vitally important to support Adoptee Rights Bills that come through each state capitol. The vast majority of Adoptee Rights bills are not understood at all by the very state legislators that are required to vote on them. If you need facts, please feel free to use any of the materials on the Adoptee Rights pages here.

Take the Listly List and embed it in your own site!

I recommend writing a short, yet powerful letter, identifying yourself and supporting Adoptee Rights OBC access. Add some facts and why you support Adoptee Rights. Then keep your letter on file. It is then very easy to  edit it to the right legislators  regarding whatever state bill and send it off when needed. The fact is that one cannot sit back in their chair and wonder when these laws will change, it is up to us to MAKE that change happen. And if you do not DO anything, then, I am sorry, you have no right to complain.

Follow your state group on Facebook and Twitter or sign up for their mailing lists and when they ask you to do something, just do it! Send your letter, make a comment saying you did, and share the post to your own networks. The only way we will ever restore the civil rights of our friends and children is if we work on their doggedly and with purpose together.

Connecticut Adoptee Rights Proposed H.B. No. 5910

Access Connecticut

Ct birth certificates for adopteesWebsite: Access Connecticut

Bill NumberProposed H.B. No. 5910 and  NOT Proposed S.B. No. 640

General Bill info: Access Connecticut has one goal:  We seek to re-establish the right of adult adoptees  to access their original birth certificate, a right which the all non-adopted citizens have under Connecticut law.  Prior to 1975 all adoptees born in Connecticut had the right to obtain their true, original birth certificates (OBCs) upon reaching the age of majority.

Latest Update: See the lasted email update sent out 1/24/14

Next: We had decided for many tactical reasons to wait until 2016 to push a full access bill, the main reason being our partial access bill doesn’t go into effect into July 1, 2015.  In the meantime, we are seeking to have a bill passed this year which is a birth parent rights bill to access to their relinquishment documents.  The bill will help us gather data to bolster our case in 2016 that birth parents were never “promised” privacy/secrecy, etc., which is one of the main concerns of our opponents (and one of the largest myths about adoption.)However, things may heat up in Connecticut this year beyond our expectations. Two proposed bills have been introduced in the past few days.

  • Proposed H.B. No. 5910 introduced by Rep. Lonnie Reed would grant full access to ALL adoptees, regardless of date of adoption (YAY!).
  • Proposed S.B. No. 640 would enact a one time disclosure veto option that would expire Jan, 1, 2017 (NO!)  was introduced by Sen. Michael McLachlan.

Hundreds of proposed bills in CT get introduced.  We have been meeting with legislators and are reaching out to others, with the help of our excelllent lobbyist Mr. Matt Hallisey of Matthew Hallisey Government Affairs.  We will keep you posted…

 What you can do to help Adoptee Rights in Connecticut:

Indiana Adoptee Rights Senate Bill 352

Hoosiers for Equal Access to Records ( HEAR)

Hoosiers for Equal Access to RecordsWebsite: Indiana, Hoosiers for Equal Access to Records ( HEAR)

Bill Number: SB 352 in Indiana is the Adoptee Rights bill

General Bill info: The Indiana legislature passed a law in 1993 that allowed any child adopted after Jan. 1, 1994 to approach the state and obtain their OBC after their 21st birthday. There was no grandfather access for adult adoptees in the closed access period. New bill would extend this right for those adopted during the “closed record” period—from 1941 to 1993. We aren’t asking for different systems or rights. Only an extension of what is already offered to other Hoosier adoptees. The bill will extend the current OBC access law to adult adoptees in the closed access group, while offering birth/first parents who do not wish to be contacted the ability to express their wishes through a contact-preference form.  If passed, this new law will only extend a system that already exists in Indiana. All the processes and forms now in place for those adopted 1993 to today will remain in place, and be used for a new group, those adopted 1941-1993. There are no anticipated hirings or large expenses which would be needed for the state to implement this change.

Latest Update: On January 14, 2015; HEAR testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Committee then  voted 8-2 to advance the measure to the full Senate. More on the opposition  in Indiana here.

Next:  Pam Dixon Kroskie who is heading the effort along with Marcie Keithley as asked for phone calls to go to the Indiana Senate as the bill is prepared to go to the Senate for a full vote:

“Start your calls to your Senator for SB 352- Adoptee Rights Bill – starting at 8:30 am -4:45pm – just call 800-382-9467.”

 What you can do to help Adoptee Rights in Indiana:


Iowa Adoptee Rights  Bill #HF 197

Iowa Adoptee & Family Coalition

iowa adoptee rights

Website:  https://www.facebook.com/IowaAdopteeRights

Bill Number:   HF#197

General Bill info:   House File 197
An Act relating to the obtaining of a copy of an original birth certificate by an adult adoptee, and providing for fees.

Latest Update: Feb. 09 15 Introduced, referred to Judiciary. H.J. 283

What you can do to help:

  • SUPPORT: Iowa  with letters to the legislators
  • LIKE: Iowa Adoptee Rights and Share their Updates!

Massachusetts Adoptee Rights  Bill #Pending

OBC for MA

Access Massachusettes OBC for MA

Website:   http://www.obcforma.org/

Bill Number:   pending; filed as docket number SD 1112

General Bill info:   Revise the 2007 legislation so that  MA adoptees born between July 17, 1974 and January 1, 2008 are also treated equally

Latest Update: 1/15  Senator Eldridge filed in the Senate. Docket number SD 1112.

What you can do to help:

Missouri Adoptee Rights Bill HB 647

Missouri Adoptee Rights Legisaltion and OBC accessMissouri Adoptee Rights Movement 

Website:   https://www.facebook.com/MissouriAdopteeRightsMovement

Bill Number:   HB 647

General Bill info:  Establishes procedures for an adopted person to obtain a copy of his or her original birth certificate:  PDF of text

Latest Update:01/22/2015 – Introduced and Read First Time (H)

What you can do to help:

Montana Adoptee Rights Bill HB397

MT OBC access adoptee rightsWebsite: current updated:  http://www.adoptionmandala.org/MT%20Adoption%20Reform%202015

old site: https://sites.google.com/site/mtadoption/home

Bill Number:  HB397

General Bill info:  Revise adoption laws related to release of birth certificates to adoptees.

Latest Update: HB397 was introduced to the MT House and assigned to the Judiciary Committee.

What you can do to help:

New York’s Adoptee Rights Bill A2901

New York Adoption Equality OBC accessNY Adoption Equality

Website:   http://www.nyadoptionequality.com/

Email:   NewYorkStateEquality@gmail.com

Bill NumberA2901 in the House

General Bill info:

Enacts Bill of Adoptee Rights clarifying language and procedures for obtaining birth certificates and medical histories of adoptees;permits an adopted adult to access certain records when they reach the age of 18; creates a contact preference to be filed by birth parents.

More pending upon most recent  bill text becoming available.

What you can do to help:

Unsealed Initiative is also continuing to work in NY

Pennsylvania Adoptee Rights Bill #Pending

adoptee rights birth certificates in paPennsylvania Adoptee Rights PAR

Website:   Pennsylvania Adoptee Rights PAR

Email: AmandaWoolston@pennsylvaniaadopteerights.org

Bill Number: Supporters now intend to reintroduce the bill in January 2015 for the next legislative session.

General Bill info: Adoptee Access to OBC at age 18

Latest Update:  PAR is committed to passing a clean bill that fully restores the equal access afforded to all adult adoptees prior to 1984. Our legislators can do this. And we will keep working with them until they do. We will come back in January for the next session ready to make this happen.Yes, it is discouraging that we were not able to achieve the desired result this time around. We ask that everyone take a deep breath and get their strength back up. We’re going back in! Let’s do this! It’s time!

“A bill that would have allowed adult adoptees to access their original birth certificate has been pulled from consideration following an amendment that would have resulted in the perpetuation of unequal treatment for adoptees under law. Supporters now intend to reintroduce the bill in January 2015 for the next legislative session.”

 What you can do to help:

Texas Adoptee Rights Bill HB984

STAR Support Texas Adoptee Rights 

Texas OBC access and Adoptee RIghtsWebsite:   http://www.texasadopteerights.org/

Bill Number:   House Bill  HB984

General Bill info: Restores access to OBC once adoptee is over 18; contact preference form for birthparents; no redaction, no mother may i’s, no denails

Latest Update: 1/15  News  just hit the media.

Support Texas Adoptee Rights STAR is collecting photos of people holding up signs about their own adoption experience. This is for a TEXAS video; please refer to this FB status for details.

What you can do to help:

About the Author

Claudia Corrigan DArcy
Claudia Corrigan D’Arcy has been online and involved in the adoption community since early in 2001. Blogging since 2005, her website Musings of the Lame has become a much needed road map for many mothers who relinquished, adoptees who long to be heard, and adoptive parents who seek understanding. She is also an activist and avid supporter of Adoptee Rights and fights for nationwide birth certificate access for all adoptees with the Adoptee Rights Coalition. Besides here on Musings of the Lame, her writings on adoption issue have been published in The New York Times, BlogHer, Divine Caroline, Adoption Today Magazine, Adoption Constellation Magazine, Adopt-a-tude.com, Lost Mothers, Grown in my Heart, Adoption Voice Magazine, and many others. She has been interviewed by Dan Rather, Montel Williams and appeared on Huffington Post regarding adoption as well as presented at various adoption conferences, other radio and print interviews over the years. She resides in New York’s Hudson Valley with her husband, Rye, children, and various pets.

3 Comments on "Adoptee Rights Bills to Support in 2015"

  1. Are there any plans for a OBC bill in California?

  2. Barbara Selletti | March 25, 2015 at 12:00 pm |

    Good news for PA adoptees like my hubby. Unfortunately, SC where my adoption happened, doesn’t have any plans for changing the rules.

  3. I like this article, but you’re forgetting F.A.C.E. Act. I won’t assume you’re a birth mom with U.S. citizenship rights, but maybe you could try to understand a little bit…theory if your child was adopted by someone in a different country, and then the country deported them as an adult because the laws classed them as an immigrant.

    Anyways, hopefully some will want to help stop deportation of Internationally Adopted People by signing and supporting F.A.C.E. Act.

Comments are closed.