BASTARD NATION ACTION ALERT
New York A5036B/S4845B
URGENT!
Distribute Freely!
June 15, 2017
New York adoptees need your help today
Please contact all members of New York Assembly and Senate today!
DO NOT PASS A5036B/S04845B
Vote scheduled for next week Monday in Assembly then on to Senate if passed. Session closs Wednesday June 20, 2017
Below is the urgent Action Alert issued on June 15, 2017 by New York Adoption Equality. NYAE is not a partner or otherwise affiliated with Bastard Nation, but we support opposition to these bills.
Bastard Nation Comments
Regressive A5063b (companion S 4845b) passed the Rules Committee in the Assembly today and is poised to pass in both houses next week before the session ends.
The always dirty bill has gone through several amendments. It’s currrent form:
- Adopted person age 18 or older can apply to the court to request a CERTIFIED copy of their long form OBC
- When application is received, the court provides the DOH with the identifying information of the birt parent or parents The DOH has 120 days to contact the parent(s).
- If birthparents want “confidentiality” the adopted person gets a certified but redacted OBC.
- If two parents are listed but only one is able to be contacted, it is up to the court’s discretion whether to release the other parent’s info.
- If parent cannot be contacted or does not respond to the DOH, it will be up to the court’s discretion if it would be detrimental to the welfare of the birthparents to have their names on the OBC.
- There is a “contact preference” form for parents who consent to the release of identifying information which includes contact through a CI, agree to contact or do not contact me.
- Confidential Intermediary option contains no language about fiscal responsibility. Who pays for it?
- Medical history forms will be given to the birth parent as well.
- The DOH will widely disseminate information concerning this law for birth parents to see.
In addition: an earlier amendment that would have made unrestricted access propective for those born on or after the effective date of the law was removed.
For more iunformation on this bill and others go to the Bastard Nation Legislative page.
******
New York State Adoptee Equality
3 hrs · Highland Mills, NY
!!! URGENT ACTION ALERT !!!!!
A5036B/S04845B passed the Assembly Rules Committee today, 6/15/17, unanimously. It is poised to go to the floor for a vote next week and is expected to be passed in BOTH houses.
We need EVERYONE to call and email your Representatives (in the House and the Senate) urging them to vote NO on A5036B/S04845B for the reasons contained in the cut and paste email found below.
If you are, currently, a NYS resident please identify yourself as such in the email being sure to include your district number.
Assembly E-mails
abbatep@nyassembly.gov, abinantit@nyassembly.gov, ArroyoC@nyassembly.gov, AubryJ@nyassembly.gov, BarclaW@nyassembly.gov, BarnwellB@nyassembly.gov, barrettd@nyassembly.gov, barronc@nyassembly.gov, benedettom@nyassembly.gov, bichotter@nyassembly.gov, BlakeM@nyassembly.gov, blankenbushk@nyassembly.gov, brabeneck@nyassembly.gov, braunsteine@nyassembly.gov, brindisia@nyassembly.gov, bronsonh@nyassembly.gov, BuchwaldD@nyassembly.gov, ButlerM@nyassembly.gov, ByrneK@nyassembly.gov, CahillK@nyassembly.gov, CarrollR@nyassembly.gov, castorinar@nyassembly.gov, ColtonW@nyassembly.gov, CookV@nyassembly.gov, CrespoM@nyassembly.gov, CrouchC@nyassembly.gov, CurranB@nyassembly.gov, CusickM@nyassembly.gov, CymbroS@nyassembly.gov, dursoa@nyassembly.gov, DavilaM@nyassembly.gov, delaRosac@nyassembly.gov, DenDekkerM@nyassembly.gov, DickensI@nyassembly.gov, DilanE@nyassembly.gov, DinowiJ@nyassembly.gov, DiPietroD@nyassembly.gov, EngleS@nyassembly.gov, errigoj@nyassembly.gov, FahyP@nyassembly.gov, farrelh@nyassembly.gov, FinchG@nyassembly.gov, FitzpatrickM@nyassembly.gov, friendc@nyassembly.gov, GalefS@nyassembly.gov, GanttD@nyassembly.gov, GarbarinoA@nyassembly.gov, GiglioJ@nyassembly.gov, GjonajM@nyassembly.gov, GlickD@nyassembly.gov, goodella@nyassembly.gov, GottfriedR@nyassembly.gov, grafa@nyassembly.gov, GuntheA@nyassembly.gov, harrisp@nyassembly.gov, HawleyS@nyassembly.gov, Speaker@nyassembly.gov, HevesiA@nyassembly.gov, HikindD@nyassembly.gov, HunterP@nyassembly.gov, JaffeeE@nyassembly.gov, jeanpierrek@nyassembly.gov, JenneA@nyassembly.gov, johnsm@nyassembly.gov, jonesb@nyassembly.gov, joynerl@nyassembly.gov, KavanaghB@nyassembly.gov, kearnsm@nyassembly.gov, KimR@nyassembly.gov, KolbB@nyassembly.gov, LalorK@nyassembly.gov, LavineC@nyassembly.gov, lawrencep@nyassembly.gov, LentolJ@nyassembly.gov, LiftonB@nyassembly.gov, LopezP@nyassembly.gov, LupardoD@nyassembly.gov, LupinacciC@nyassembly.gov, MageeW@nyassembly.gov, MagnarW@nyassembly.gov, malliotakisn@nyassembly.gov, MayerS@nyassembly.gov, McDonaldJ@nyassembly.gov, mcdonoughd@nyassembly.gov, MckeviT@nyassembly.gov, mclaughlins@nyassembly.gov, millerb@nyassembly.gov, MillerML@nyassembly.gov, MillerMG@nyassembly.gov, MontesanoM@nyassembly.gov, MorelleJ@nyassembly.gov, morinelloa@nyassembly.gov, MosleyW@nyassembly.gov, MoyaF@nyassembly.gov, murrayd@nyassembly.gov, niouy@nyassembly.gov, NolanC@nyassembly.gov, norrism@nyassembly.gov, OdonnellD@nyassembly.gov, OaksR@nyassembly.gov, OrtizF@nyassembly.gov, OtisS@nyassembly.gov, palmesanop@nyassembly.gov, palumboa@nyassembly.gov, PaulinA@nyassembly.gov, PeopleC@nyassembly.gov, PerryN@nyassembly.gov, amatos@nyassembly.gov, PichardoV@nyassembly.gov, PretloJ@nyassembly.gov, quartd@nyassembly.gov, rae@nyassembly.gov, RaiaA@nyassembly.gov, ramosp@nyassembly.gov, district43@nyassembly.gov, RiveraJ@nyassembly.gov, Rrodriguez@nyassembly.gov, RosentL@nyassembly.gov, RozicN@nyassembly.gov, RyanS@nyassembly.gov, SantabarbaraA@nyassembly.gov, SchimmR@nyassembly.gov, SeawrightR@nyassembly.gov, SepulvedaL@nyassembly.gov, simanowitzm@nyassembly.gov, simonj@nyassembly.gov, simotasa@nyassembly.gov, SkartadosF@nyassembly.gov, SkoufisJ@nyassembly.gov, SolagesM@nyassembly.gov, StecD@nyassembly.gov, SteckP@nyassembly.gov, StirpeA@nyassembly.gov, ThieleF@nyassembly.gov, TitoneM@nyassembly.gov, TitusM@nyassembly.gov, vanelc@nyassembly.gov, WalkerL@nyassembly.gov, wallacem@nyassembly.gov, walshm@nyassembly.gov, walterr@nyassembly.gov, WeinstH@nyassembly.gov, WeprinD@nyassembly.gov, woernerc@nyassembly.gov, wrightt@nyassembly.gov, ZebrowskiK@nyassembly.gov,
Senate Email
addabbo@nysenate.gov
akshar@nysenate.gov
avella@nysenate.gov
bonacic@nysenate.gov
pboyle@nysenate.gov
breslin@nysenate.gov
carlucci@nysenate.gov
croci@nysenate.gov
jdefranc@nysenate.gov
diaz@nysenate.gov
dilan@nysenate.gov
kaminsky@nysenate.gov
felder@nysenate.gov
flanagan@nysenate.gov
funke@nysenate.gov
gallivan@nysenate.gov
gianaris@nysenate.gov
golden@nysenate.gov
griffo@nysenate.gov
hamilton@nysenate.gov
hannon@nysenate.gov
helming@nysenate.gov
hoylman@nysenate.gov
kennedy@nysenate.gov
jdklein@nysenate.gov
lkrueger@nysenate.gov
larkin@nysenate.gov
latimer@nysenate.gov
lavalle@nysenate.gov
little@nysenate.gov
marcelli@nysenate.gov
marchione@nysenate.gov
montgome@nysenate.gov
murphy@nysenate.gov
omara@nysenate.gov
ortt@nysenate.gov
ephillips@nysenate.gov
parker@nysenate.gov
jperalta@nysenate.gov
persaud@nysenate.gov
ranz@nysenate.gov
ritchie@nysenate.gov
grivera@nysenate.gov
robach@nysenate.gov
sanders@nysenate.gov
savino@nysenate.gov,
serino@nysenate.gov
serrano@nysenate.gov,
seward@nysenate.gov
squadron@nysenate.gov
stavisky@nysenate.gov
scousins@nysenate.gov
valesky@nysenate.gov
tedisco@nysenate.gov
cyoung@nysenate.gov
alcantara@nysenate.gov
amedore@nysenate.gov
bailey@nysenate.gov
bbenjamin@nysenate.gov
brooks@nysenate.gov
comrie@nysenate.gov
Sample Letter
Subject: VOTe NO on A5036B/S04845B
Distinguished Representative:
Along with New York State Adoptee Equality, I oppose the passage of A5036B/S04845B and implore you to VOTE NO on it’s passage.
Current law allows NYS adopted adults to ask a Judge to release their Birth Record. A5036B/S04845B does NOT restore access to adopted people but creates new privileges for those whose parental rights were terminated or surrendered. It requires ADULT adoptees to have parental permission (from legal strangers) in order to access their original birth certificate. Biological parents either surrendered their rights or had them revoked for justifiable reasons. No other group of adult people need parental permission for such documents. If parents do not consent, or do not respond, to state contact, a judge will use his/her discretion to decide if the adult adoptee should have access to an un-redacted OBC. The judge will decide what would be or would have been in the best interest of the biological parents, with no mention of the best interest of the adoptee. This gives new rights to people who never had them. By doing so, it also gives power to the courts as opposed to the Department of Health. It allows for the redaction of names from an “original” state document; thereby altering it from its original state.
Additionally, the bill calls for widely disseminating “to the public, through its website,
public service announcements and other means, in multiple languages and
through multiple outlets, information concerning the adoption information registry.” Nowhere does it discuss the fiscal ramifications to the state or the adopted adult.
This bill does NOT afford adoptees equal rights or equal treatment under the law. This bill instead violates an adoptee’s right to due process.
Those who support A5036B/S04845B purport that the bill will protect birth parents’ right to confidentiality. Birth parents were never promised confidentiality, and no American has the “right” to anonymity. Social media, scientific advances in DNA testing, and genealogy search techniques have removed anonymity from the picture for society as a whole. This bill entails the possibility of using a Confidential Intermediary if the birth parent requests it. Where does the fiscal responsibility for that lie? Adoptees accessing their OBCs has nothing to do with contact between people and everything to do with civil dignity: obtaining the record of one’s birth.
Adoptees accessing their OBCs has nothing to do with contact between people and everything to do with obtaining the true and accurate record of one’s birth. The state does not dictate who may or may not receive their original birth certificate for the non-adopted.
I challenge you to re-read A5036B/S04845B and replace the word “adoptee” with any other group of people, i.e., Black Americans, Irish Americans, Jewish Americans, Veterans, Muslims, etc. After doing so, ask yourself if you would still support passage of such legislation.
Please vote “NO” on A5036B/S04845B. ALL Adopted adults deserve access to a true and accurate record of their birth just as every other adult born in NYS can access.
Thank you for your time and service.
Respectfully,
Bastard Nation Phone 614-641-0294
www.bastards.org
@BastardsUnite
New York Adoptee Rights Coalition
