Category: Legislation

Legislation, News

Arizona: Unrestricted HB2600 passes House; on to Senate

February 28, 2020

Arizona has a long,curious and confusing history of adoptee records access. Before 1945 OBCs were open to the adoptee and the general public. In 1952 OBCs were closed to the public but still open to the adoptee. In 1967 OBCs were sealed to all adoptees. In 1997 OBCs were unsealed to a select few adoptees whose adoptions had been finalized 75 years ago or longer(!) Then in 2004 OBCs were again sealed to all adoptees This jumble of yes, no maybe, and no again makes no sense, especially now in an era of openness and transparency in adoption and the unsealing of adoption records around the country

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Legislation, News

Bastard Nation Submitted Testimony Maryland H1039: Unrestricted OBC Access. Do Pass

February 21, 2020

Bastard Nation and its members in Maryland have worked in Maryland since the late 1990s to secure a change in OBC/adoption record access laws that restore the right of all the state’s adoptees ,not just the select few as under current law who are currently forced to navigate a cumbersome, difficult, and insulting gauntlet of restrictions, arbitrary procedures, and naysayers, to receive their own OBC,s which are rightfully theirs, without restriction.

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Bastard Nation Testimony on SB113 – clean records bill. Do Pass

The passage in 2015 of Public Act 14-133 which restored the right of OBC access to Connecticut adopted persons whose adoptions were finalized after October 1, 1983, shows that the legislature understands the justice in OBC access. Unfortunately, 30,000 of the state’s adoptees were left behind in that limited law—their records remaining sealed and available only through a court order. SB 113 finishes the job making all Connecticut adoptees subject to the same right of access and due process.

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Massachusetts: Bastard Nation letter requesting movement on clean bill HB1892/SB1287

February 16, 2020

A few weeks ago Access Massachusetts asked help in moving clean bills HB1892/SB1267 out of committee and on for a vote. The bills were recently voted favorable out of the Joint Committee on Public Health and are now in the House Seering, Policy, Scheduling Committee of the House. Access Massachusetts is not affiliated with Bastard Nation but we wholeheartedly support this bill that will level the playing field and restore the right of all Massachusetts adoptees to their OBC.  Below is the letter we sent tonight in support of the bill and movement forward.

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Wisconsin’s SB521/AB579 Will be Amended with Restrictions

January 29, 2020

We listened to this radio interview last week, with little surprise.  Over the last few weeks, FB posts indicated that some Wisconsin adoptees were not only unhappy with workaround companion bills SB521/AB579 that would release the Report of Adoption court form with birthparent names included but keep OBCs sealed to protect birthparent identity. Are you confused?  We are. (Remember the current bill does not contain restrictions).

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Advocates Ask for Wisconsin Bill to Die

January 26, 2020

Five state and national adoptee rights organizations have requested that Wisconsin legislators set aside two bills that were recently heard in Senate and Assembly committees. The bills, analyzed here, seek release of a court adoption form, deliberately ignoring the issue of releasing an adopted person’s own original birth certificate.

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