Indiana has a very bad bill in the hopper and ready for vote in the Senate. Orignally a clean bill it has been deformed into an anti-adoptee piece of legislation that not only includes a Disclosure Veto, but a warped and inaccurately named Contact Veto that allows birthparents to authorize the state to withhold contact information from pre-adoptive sibings even if they are registered with the state’s adoption reunion registry. Indiana Open Access has offered an amendment to remove ant-adoptee language.
ASenate vote can take place today Please ready IOA’s action alert below and contact the senators linked below to top this attack on adoptee rights today/.
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***^INDIANA OPEN ACCESS ACTION ALERT * * *
Issued January 19, 2015
URGE THE INDIANA STATE SENATETO VOTE NO ON SB 352, AS WRITTEN
On Tuesday, January 20th, 2015 SB 352 will come before the Indiana State Senate Floor for Second Read. Senate Bill 352, authored by the Honorable Senators Brent Steele and Mike Delph,would require the birth parent’s Consent to Disclosure and Release of the Original Birth Certificate to the adoptee. This bill would allow people who were adopted from 1941 through 1993 to receive records, unless their birth parents sign a form prohibiting it. The mother may, also prohibit contact with preadoptive siblings through the denial of releasing contact information provided by preadoptive siblings even after she is deceased and even if the preadoptive siblings have registered with the State Registry
.According to bill language, birth parents have until June 30,2016 to file a form that would prohibi tthe release of their information. Infinitely disappointing. SB 352 heads to the Senate floor for a vote.
WE MUST ACT NOW TO DEFEAT SB 352 AND LEAVE CLEAR THE PATH FOR A RIGHTS DRIVEN OPEN RECORDS BILL. DO NOT ALLOW A MISGUIDED ATTEMPT TO WORK WITHIN AND EXPAND AN
EXISTING DISCLOSURE VETO, IN EFFECT BEYOND DEATH, UNDER THE GUISE OF “PRIVACY RIGHTS”,TO ESTABLISH FURTHER PRECEDENT IN THE STATE OF INDIANA! NO MORE BAD LAW ON THEBOOKS!
IOA AMENDMENT TO SB 352 which is based upon the real and genuine Contact Preference Forms (CPF) found in the states of Oregon, Alabama, Maine, and Rhode Island. While HEAR and the authors have spoken to a CPF, it is inessence an extension of the State’s existing Disclosure Veto. IOA believes that all Indiana born citizens should be governed by the same set of laws. We believe that the standard of “direct interest”, which nonadopted citizens must reach for birth certificate access, should be the identical standard for all.Indiana law (IC1637110) specifically requires a purchaser of a birth or death certificate to have a direct interest. A
direct interest is defined as a documented personal, financial, or legal interest in the record, or immediate kinship(parent, grandparent, or adult sibling) to the person named on the record.
http://www.in.gov/isdh/20243.htm
Who has a more direct interest, than the person named whose birth is recorded on the certificate?
View IOA Amendment to SB 352:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/IndianaOpenAccess/files/
You can watch and listen LIVE to the Floor Session via the internet:
Tuesday, January 20th, 2015 Live Chamber Webcast Senate
1:30 PM (EST)
http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2015/senate#watchlive
EMAIL the Senators to vote NO on SB 352, as passed by Senate Judiciary on January 14th, 2015, unless amended.
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SAMPLE LETTERon how to direct your comments to the Committee
Email Subject: NO on SB 352, unless amended
RE: No on SB 352, unless amended
To the Honorable Indiana State Senator,
I write to you today to seek your NO vote on Senate Bill 352. I stand with Indiana Open Access, and their stance,including amendment language.While I am earnestly thankful to Senators Steele and Delph, for introducing and clearing committee this important subject to me and my family, I can not support the current form of the bill. Direct records access, by the adult adoptee, to their government held record is a STRONG step in assuring the adoption industry, in all of its facets, stays honest and clean. Government transparency and open records is a sunshine element and best measure for Indiana.
IOA believes that all Indiana born citizens should be governed by the same set of laws. We believe that the standard of “direct interest”, which nonadopted citizens must reach for birth certificate access, should be the identical standard for all. Indiana law (IC1637110 ) specifically requires a purchaser of a birth or death certificate to have a direct interest. A
direct interest is defined as a documented personal financial or legal interest in the record, or immediate kinship (parent, grandparent, or adult sibling ) to the person named on the record.http://www.in.gov/isdh/20243.htm
Who has a more direct interest, than the person named whose birth is recorded on the certificate?
Thank you, Senator, for your service
Sincerely,
Your Name