Bastard Nation Action Alert. Louisiana HB 391. VOTE NO on mandatory CI and counseling

CALLING ALL BASTARDS!

BASTARD NATION ACTION ALERT

Vote NO on HB 391!

Your URGENT action is needed, NOW!

LOUISIANA HOUSE BILL 391 is set to come before the Civil Law & Procedure Committee within the next couple of weeks, (No date set as of this writing). The bill imposes undue restrictions upon adopted persons’ access to a copy of their own original birth certificate, through the implementation of a Confidential Intermediary and mandatory counseling system.

Louisiana Adoptee Rights Campaign (LARC), opposes HB 391. LARC is not a Bastard Nation partner, but we agree with the group’s assessment of the bill.

Please email the sponsor and committee members today and tell them that HB 391 is NOT an adoptee rights bill

Important: LARC asks that at this time letters and other contacts be short and simple requests to the sponsor and the committee to VOTE NO on the bill. There is no need to write your objections in great detail, LARC also urges letter writers to be polite and respectful.

LARC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LouisianaAdopteeRights/

Below is a summary of HB 381 followed by committee contact information

Bill Text: http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=980633

Bill Mandates:

Art. 1192.1. The adult adoptee (age 18 +) will be required to file a “motion of disclosure of information” form with the court where the adoption took place. The adoptee will not be required to show “need of information”.
Art. 1192.2 (A)The court shall appoint a confidential intermediary. The CI will be required to be one of the following: licensed clinical social worker, a social worker working for an adoption agency, a licensed professional counselor, a licensed psychologist, or a licensed psychiatrist.
Art. 1192.2 (B) Before releasing any information, both the adoptee and first parent are required to take part in a minimum 1 hour counseling session. The session must take place no earlier than 6 months prior to the adult adoptee filing a motion of disclosure with the court. Allows the CI to count these actions as part of their “services”.
Art. 1192.2 (C) Lists the penalties assigned if a CI acts in an unethical manner.
Art. 1192.3. Lists the CI’s duties.
Art. 1192.3. (B) Requires the first parent give their written permission before their information may be released.
Art. 1192.3. (C)Requires the CI to report their findings and all paperwork to the court within 30 days or file an extension granting more time.
Art. 1192.3. (D) States that the CI be paid for their time and that all fees are to be paid by the “mover”.
Art. 1192.4. Is a disclosure veto. If the first parent gives written permission then the obc and any “identifying information” found within the adoption file may be released. If the first parent cannot be found or does not give written permission then the court will deny the release of the obc and “identifying information”.

Easy Email Copy/Paste (Please place on the BCC line)

Sponsor: Rep. Nancy Landry: