As the chairwoman of a Non-profit organization the NC Coalition for Adoption Reform, I have personally been at the task of trying to reform NC's adoption law for the past 8 going on 9 years.
There is so much of the pomp and circumstance which goes on in the NC legislature. If they ever stopped to look at the way they do things, they would realize there are more effecient ways of doing government.
It is a wonder that anything gets accomplished in our State government.
On March 5, 2008, the House Select Committee will be meeting in the Legislative Office Building in room 544 At this meeting, Adam Pertman from the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute will be there. Adam is the well known author of Adoption Nation, and also publicist with the Boston Globe. He is an adoptive father who has been behind adoptees right for several years.
Adam will be talking about the other states which already have access to the original birth certificate, and how the contact preference form that a lot of the states is working. A lot of people say that the contact preference form has no legal ramifications, but it has actually proved in the states where it has been used not to need any.
During the House Judiciary I committee meeting on Tuesday May 1, 2007 during the hearing of HB445 -Access to Information for Adult Adoptees, which honorable Representative was caught in 'snooze' mode?
The honorable Representative from Wake County (Paul Stam). He and others were very rude, walking out while birthmothers gave testimony regarding the confidentiality they were never promised, did not want and do not want now.
However these are the Representatives we as a member of society have voted in to pass laws for us. It is a wonder that any laws get passed in the House. But I have to ask, even if they do get passed, how many of our Representatives were asleep at the 'vote'?
Roberta MacDonald, North Carolina State Representative American Adoption Congress, Chairwoman NC Coalition for Adoption ReformDurham, NC House Bill 445 (HB445) a bill granting adult adoptees (18 years or older) and the adult lineal descendants of a deceased adoptee access to their original birth certificates (OBC) will have a House Judiciary I committee hearing on May 1 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 1228 at the Legislative Building Raleigh. North Carolina started closing adoptee access to their original birth certificates in 1949.
Today I am deeply saddened by hearing about the passing of Senator Jeanne Hopkins Lucas. I went to her last year and asked for her to be a sponsor on our adoption reform legislation. She was my first choice for a sponsor.
I did not know at that time that she was ill, and eventually had to find another Primary sponsor for our legislation, after many emails to Senator Lucas were unanswered. Senator Janet Cowell stepped in and took up our cause and introduced SB111. It was only on January 24, when the session was convened, that I learned how ill Senator Lucas was.
A couple of weeks ago, I learned that Senator Lucas had asked Senator Dorsett to introduce this legislaion which then became SB261. Senator Lucas must have believed in our cause to ask someone else to introduce it.
S111 - A BILL ENTITLED AN ACT TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO ANY ADULT ADOPTEE OR ADULT LINEAL DESCENDANT OF A DECEASED ADOPTEE WHO REQUESTS A CERTIFIED COPY OF THE ADOPTEES ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE OF BIRTH.
All about adults. No Minors involved.
Should our State be in the business of governing what 'MIGHT' happen if an adult adoptee has access to their original birth certificate?
Should adult adoptees be treated differently 'JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE ADOPTED?'
If birthmother's relinquished ALL RIGHTS to the child when they gave them up for adoption, should we now give them back rights of privacy and confidentiality?
