I want to do so many things. I want to direct you to my other blog and show you all the fiber arts stuff I’ve been up to. But I haven’t been up to much. I want to tell you about the reunion I have working in my life, but that is sort of on hold too. I’d also like to be on a beach with my toes in the sand and a drink in my hand. This is the least likely to happen anytime soon.
So I’m going to hit the high points here.
As some folks are aware, my state, Missouri, has at least 2 birth certificate access bills at some stage in the legislative process. Not to mention a couple of more bills that pop up here and there that could have some effect on adoptees. The only bill that is still breathing is far from perfect, and has, at present, one of the craziest contact preference clauses I’ve ever seen, here’s the summary in it entirety, with the contact preference section bolded….
SB 53 – This act modifies provisions regarding adoption records. The State Registrar shall develop and, upon a birth parent’s request, distribute both a contact preference and a medical history form to the birth parent. The contact preference form allows a birth parent to list his or her preference for contact by the adoptee. If a contact preference form is filed with the registrar, a medical history form shall also be so filed. Upon receipt of the forms, the State Registrar shall attach such forms to the original birth certificate of the adopted person.
This act allows for an adopted person, the adopted person’s attorney, or the adopted person’s descendants, if the adopted person is deceased, to obtain a copy of the adopted person’s original birth certificate from the State Registrar upon written application and proof of identification. The adopted person shall be 18 years of age or older and born in Missouri. The adopted person shall also agree in writing to abide by the birth parent’s contact preference, if such preference is included with the adopted person’s original birth certificate. The State Registrar shall also provide a medical history form, if such form was completed by the birth parent.
The provisions of the act shall not apply to adoptions instituted or completed prior to August 28, 2009, except that a copy of the medical history form, which has had all identifying information redacted, shall be issued to such adopted person. For adoptions completed prior to August 28, 2009, the state registrar shall release the original birth certificate only if the birth mother is deceased. If the birth mother is not deceased, the state registrar shall, within thirty days of application by the adopted person, contact the birth mother via telephone, personally and confidentially, to obtain the birth mother’s written consent or denial to release the original birth certificate.
This act is identical to SCS/SB 1132 (2008) and similar to SB 322 (2003)
I was not aware that the telecommunications lobby was so strong to even reach into the area of adoptees rights. I assume this means that they will call the first parent on the phone and then send out a contact preference formhat’s what I call reaching out and touching someone. Okaaay….whatever.
And yes, this is the same old tired hag of a bill that has been floating around for years.
At any rate, Paula Benoit is coming to Missouri very soon to lobby legislators very soon. I’m seeing this as a bright spot.
If you’re not familiar with her work in Maine, check here….
http://www.adopteecare.com/paula/
Now that’s what I’m talking about. A good clean bill.
Paula has offered to keep us that aren’t hooked up with the super secret workings of the inside scene of Missouri Adoptee Rights activism up with the goings on of her visit. If you’d like to be inclued, just leave a comment here or drop me a line and I’ll get you hooked up. The more folks that we can get on this the better. This means everybody.
And yes, those who know me have already guessed, politics is making for some strange bedfellows here. But that’s par for the course in Missouri. Maybe not so much everywhere else. Just to tease you a bit, what would make an adoptee rights organization who claim to be the top dog (or should I say top bastard dog) in all things adoptee rights partner with an imfamous adoption agency? Do they want an invitation to camp too?
I don’t know.
But I am mulling it over.