OBC FOR ME
NEWS & EVENTS
New Hampshire Vital Records to Celebrate Issuance of 1000th
Original Birth Certificate to Adoptees and Special Tribute to the Passing
of LD 1084, Adoptee Access Legislation in Maine.
Nashua, N.H., June 30th, 2007 — A ceremony will
be held on July 9th at 10:00 AM at New Hampshire Vital Records
office in Concord, N.H. to celebrate the issuance of 1000th
Original Birth Certificate (OBC) to adult adoptees born in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire restored the civil and human right for adoptees to receive
their OBC in 2004 when Senate Bill 335 (SB335) became law. New Hampshire
became the first state in New England and only the seventh state in the
U.S. to allow adult adoptees access to their original birth certificate
along with, Alabama, Alaska and Delaware, Kansas, Oregon and Tennessee In
addition to the 1000th OBC ceremony a special tribute to Maine
will also be made in recognition of the passing of LD 1084. On June 25th
Maine Governor John Baldacci signed into law LD 1084, which restores the
civil and human right for adult adoptees born in Maine to obtain a copy of
their original birth certificates. Maine became only the second state in
New England and only the sixth state in the country to legislatively
restore this civil right to adult adoptees.
Here's Some Pictures
Next
Work Sesson
May 17th at 1:00PM rm438 State House
Only LD1084, LD391 and LD1734 will be heard.
Next Hearing
May 8th at 2:00PM rm438 State House
This is a work session which will include the
following bills:
2:00pm WORK SESSION
LD
1 Jury duty- increase reimbursement
LD 74 Jury duty- exemptions
LD 1629 Jury service
LD 1212 Jury service-exempt ions
LD 1335 Property tax assessment appeals
LD 1771 Parenting coordinators
LD 1541 Child support services
LD 1789 Placement of children
LD 391 Adoption
LD 1084 Adoption
LD1734 Adoption
LD1263 Community service- limit
liability
LD 866 Punitive damages for sex offenders
Other Bills TBA
Amendment Review-Bills TBA
LD 1084 An Act To Provide Adult Adoptees Access to Their Original Birth Certificates
Public Hearing: May 2, 2007
1:00 PM
Committee on Judiciary
Room 438, Fourth Floor, State House
Augusta, ME
1. Two other bills will be heard that day, in the following order
LD 391 H.P. 307 Resolve, To Study Adoption Laws and Practices
<http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/LD.asp?LD=391>
LD 1084 H.P. 802 An Act To Provide Adult Adoptees Access to Their Original Birth Certificates
<http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/LD.asp?LD=1084>
LD 1734 H.P. 1217 An Act To Provide Adult Adoptees Access to Information
<http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/LD.asp?LD=1734>
2. Testimony is welcomed and encourage by EVERONE: verbal and/or written:
Please write ASAP each member of the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary <http://janus.state.me.us/house/jt_com/jud.htm> or email a ONE PAGE written testimony to <Susan.Pinette@legislature.maine.gov>, Susan Pinette, Clerk of the Judiciary, and ask her politely if she would kindly make the required 20 copies and distribute to the Judiciary Committee for the May 2, 2007 Public Hearing on LD 1084, or bring 20 copies with you to the hearing. Please do not forget to include SUPPORT OF LD 1084 at the top and your name, address and phone number at the bottom. Briefly tell them the benefit (fundamental right, etc) of LD 1084 to you. Please ASK your relatives, friends, co-workers, faith based community, doctors, lawyers, etc to do the same.
3. Help us speak with ONE voice, ONE purpose to convince the committee members that the reason to change the existing law is:
- “A birth certificate is a fundamental document for each citizen of the United States.
- Each adult citizen of the United States is entitled to possess a birth certificate that contains accurate and truthful information concerning that citizen's parentage.
- Therefore, when an adopted person attains the age of eighteen years, an adopted person should have the right to request and receive a noncertified copy of his or her unaltered original certificate of birth from the State Registrar of Vital Statistics of the State of Maine.” PERIOD Jeff MacDonald, Attorney
6.
What members of the adoption triad might consider saying in support of LD 1084:
- “Adoptees speak to their rights - that they should have the same right as any other citizen to a birth certificate that is accurate and truthful. Adult adoptees should stop being treated as second class citizens who should just ‘shut up and be grateful.’
- Adoptive parents speak to their support for their children, that their children should have the same rights as biological children to truthful birth certificates.
- Birthparents speak to their support of the right of adoptees to truthful birth certificates, to the birthparents' desire that well-meaning agencies stop trying to protect them (they didn't ask for it, and they don't need it).” Jeff MacDonald, attorney
5.
What members of the adoption triad might consider NOT saying in support of LD 1084:
Last year we confused the committee with too much discussion of searches, reunions, medical histories. Please resist this temptation as much as possible. If we are asked about breaking the
promise of confidentiality made to biological parents this is the answer: “
Irrelevant. Even assuming the promise was made, a promise made without statutory authority to one person cannot and should not prevent another person from access to their own personal information.”
J MacDonald, attorney
6.
Remember the birth certificate will remain CONFIDENTIAL. It will NOT be made public, only to the adult adopted person or their descendents, IF requested.
Thanks,
Bobbi Beavers
Cathy Robishaw
OBC for ME – Access 2008