Massachusetts Passes! Joins the New England Pack

July 29, 2022

This afternoon the Massachusetts Senate by a vote of 40-0 passed he measure passed the House last year and has been held up in the Senate Rules committee since then.  Earlier today it was released from the committee and sent to the Senate floor for an immediate vote. There is no reason to think that Governor Charlie Baker will not sign on.  In effect, the days of segregated Original Birth Certificate access are about to end in Massachusets.

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Congratulations, Louisiana! #12 to acknowledge adoptee equality

June 22, 2022

On June 15,  2022, Governor. John Bel Edwards signed HB 450--the bill that restores the right of all Louisiana-born adopted people to their Original Birth Certificates upon request, without restriction,.The House, voted 76-21 and the Senate 29-5.  For Pete’s sake, Louisiana!  Louisiana! If Louisiana can acknowledge, codify our rights, and pass a bill, then any state can!

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Limited Action Alert: Louisiana HB 450. Senate Floor Vote This Week. Do Pass!

May 29, 2022

Bastard Nation received this Call to Action today from the Louisiana Coalition for Adoption Rights. If you call under any of the categories below, please contact Louisiana Senators now! Anyone who’s ever lived in Louisiana- anyone who knows anyone in Louisiana should tell them to write in, anyone who knows an adopted person or parent who relinquished in Louisiana etc

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HB 450: Louisiana One Step Closer to OBC Restoration

May 28, 2022

There’s some terrific testimony from our friends Elise Lewis and Kenny Tucker from the Louisiana Coalition for Adoption Rights, who have been at it for years,  the Louisiana Adoption Advisory Board, first mothers, adoptive mothers, and social workers, as well as bill sponsor Rep. Charles Owen and former lawmaker Danny Martiny sponsor of similar legislation in the past.

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Bastard Nation Letter to Louisiana Senate Judiciary Committee A. HB450: Do Pass

May 20, 2022

Adopted people in 11 states have unrestricted access to their OBC. Just a couple of weeks ago Vermont restored OBC rights and your neighbor Alabama restored that right 20 years ago. Not one single negative report about unsealing has been published. Access has been normalized. Adoptees are treated just like the Not Adopted and like the Not Adopted no one denies that they have a right to those records and information.

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Bastard Nation Action Alert: Louisiana HB 450. Senate Judiciary A. Vote Do Pass!

May 17, 2022

Louisiana adoptee rights activists need our help again. HB 450 passed the Louisiana House 76-21 on March 28, 2022, This is a clean bill. The bill is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee  A on May 24. Below is the action alert Louisianas folks sent out today. At this point, they are asking for calls and emails from everyone –not just those with Louisiana connections to request DO PASS with no restrictive amendments added. If you have a Louisiana connection–Louisiana-born adoptee, resident, family, etc.–please include that information.

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Vermont H629: On the Cusp of OBC Restoration and Victory!

April 17, 2022

On Thursday, April 14, 2022, the Vermont House voted to concur with Senate amendments on H 629. The bill now goes to Governor Phil Scott for his signature. thus making Vermont the 11th state to recognize and affirm the right of all adopted people (in Vermont at age 18) to obtain their original birth certificates without restrictions or conditions. There is no reason to believe that Scott will not sign it.

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