The latest Bastard Nation Legislative page is now up. There are lots of changes since last week, including the movement forward of bad bills in Idaho and Iowa. On the federal level, we have the introduction of the Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2021.a re-introduction of the Adoptee Citizenship Act, 2019-2020.
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Current Maryland law let’s adopted people at the age of 21 years or older whose adoptions were finalized on or after January 1, 2000 to receive their OBC on request, subject to disclosure veto filings; thus, granting a favor for some adoptees but not others depending upon date of birth, adoption and third-person approval. Until all adoptees have a right to unrestricted ownership of their original birth certificates none enjoy that right. It is only a discriminatory favor and privilege.
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t was amended down. A lot. Instead of unrestricted unsealing, the Committee decided to keep records closed for those born between 1968-2021. That’s well over half of Arizona adoptees who will (if the bill passes) remain sealed and secret, An amendment was also offered but rejected to add a Disclosure Veto. Oh, and another politician is worried about protecting the “DNA rights “ of birthparents. What’s he want to do? Ban adoptees from owning Ancestry accounts? Perhaps he was channeling Bill Pierce who long ago declared that it should be illegal for adoptees to use phone books to look for first parents. This is the kind of nonsense Class Bastard is subjected to daily by legos and lawmakers.
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The 2021 Bastard Nation Legislative Page is now live. Links to our Leg. Pages for 2014-2020 are located on that page
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I cannot stress this enough: “sending” and “receiving” parties involved in unregulated rehoming unlike those who have no intention to sever their parental rights but find themselves in need of temporary custody arrangements, do not follow a “child’s-best-interest standard. Neither “sender” nor ”receiver” are well-intentioned. Please stop acting like they are. Adoptive parents who rehome their “forever children” without regard to ethics or law no longer want the parental responsibility they signed up for and were approved for by social workers and courts. Those who receive these inconvenient children utilize the black/gray market do so for “adoption” (note the quotes), sex trade, or servitude. Each party trolls social media, underground networks, Craig’s List, and other advertising sources, seeking matches often with the assistance of paid third parties. Unregulated custody transfer is a nice name for child trafficking.
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National Adoption Awareness Month is winding down, and today is a good time to post a round-up of 2020 legislative action –if you can call it action. In this Year of Covid-19 it is unlikely that any action, other than the slow death by sine die (adjournment of the session without action) will take place on any of the few remaining bills. If something does move, I will amend this later and repost it at the end of the year.
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This week Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert signed two bills that continue to abrogate the rights of Utah–born adoptees.
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Please drop a line to Utah Senators and ask them to oppose HB 345. .There is no state interest in keeping original birth certificates sealed from adult adoptees to which they pertain. Nor does the state have a right or duty to mediate and oversee the personal relationships of adults. Those who claim a statutory right to parental anonymity through sealed records, as found in HB 345, promote statutory privilege and state favoritism. This is not a bill adoptees want or need. Only unrestricted, unconditional OBC access is acceptable.
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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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Bastard Nation is a proud partner organization in the New York Adoptee Rights Coalition, along with the Adoptee Rights Law Center and the Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York. Plus strategic partner Reclaim the Records
Bastard Nation is a proud partner in the Texas Adoptee Rights Coalition, along with Equality for Adoption, Gladney Adoptees for Rights and Equality, and the Adoptee Rights Law Center. Plus strategic partner Reclaim the Records