H478 Sub A, amended and re-numbered to H478 AA, a bill to allow any adoptee 25 years or older to obtain a copy of that person’s original birth certificate with no conditions or restrictions passed the Rhode Island Senate unamously last week. Friday the bill, now re-numbered S478 Sub AA, was assigned to the House Health and Human Services Committee. A hearing is scheduled for Monday June 27, 2011
IMPORTANT NOTE: a similar House bill H 5443 Sub AA passed the House 66-0 two weeks ago, but will not be heard in the Senate. H478 Sub AA is the LIVE BILL.
Despite the age qualificaiton (orignally 30, but reduced to 25 last week), which Bastard Nation does not agree with, we believe that since the House and Senate are already in agreement that the state’s adoptees have a right to their original birth certificates without restriction upon request, that the Senate bill needs passed and working now.
Members of both houses have voiced support for a reduction in the age of access. Bastard Nation and activists on the ground in Rhode Island believe this change can and will take place within in a reasonable amount of time–and won’t go away until it is. It is clear, unfortunately, that this reduction will not happen with this bill.
Since the Rhode Island House just weeks ago voiced unamous support for the restoration of OBC access for all the state’s adoptees without restriction at the age of 18, there is no reason for members will drop support now.
S478 Sub AA:
***acknowledges a legally, morally, and ethically correct one-size-fits all standard of identity and records rights for all adopted persons. It treats the adopted the same as the non-adopted.
***does not open original birth certificates and other records to the public.
***does not change adoption procedures
***is about rights not reunions. It is about the relation of adoptees to the state.
Please write the House HEW committee today today and urge them to support S478 Sub AA
Please write the House HEW committee today today and urge them to support S478 Sub A
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S 478 Sup AA is supported by Access Rhode Island, Bastard Nation, and the American Adoption Congress.
For more information go to
Access Rhode Island’s webpage
Access Rhode Island’s Facebook page
