Massachusetts State Senator Karen Spilka hates adoptees. At least that’s the way it looks.
Despite a remarkably favorable hearing (see Massachusetts Meltdown below), committee consensus for a favorable vote, and a promise of a quick decision, SB 959 lingers in the Joint Committee on Children and Families like a one night stand.
Sen. Spilka has remained silent on the bill’s future, refusing to reply to repeated requests for updates from Massachusetts, New England, and national adoptee rights advocates. She is said, though, to be tinkering with the bill. She reportedly wants to kick thousands of Massachusetts adoptees and their civil rights to the curb by adding an amendment to make the bill prospective only–that is, original birth certificates would remain sealed to anyone adopted prior to the date the law goes into effect. The same old screw you.
And she or some of her anti-adoptee friends may have more “improvements” in mind. I
If the bill is not released from the Children and Ffamilies Committee by March 15 it will die. AND IT WON’T COME BACK.
This turnabout is surprising since Sen Spilka encouraged the slap-down of NCFA’s Lee Allen during the October 28 hearing.
The bill–as written– has the support of much of Beacon Hill leadership, including Senate President Bob Travaglini.
Now is the time to act. Let Massachusetts lawmakers know that the whole world is watching. And don’t forget to tell the the media, too.
CONTACT INFORMATION MASSACHUSETTS SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES
Senator Karen Spilka – [email protected]
Senator Thomas McGee – [email protected]
Senator Frederick Berry – [email protected]
Senator Pamela Resor – [email protected]
Senator Steven Baddour – [email protected]
Senator Bruce Tarr – [email protected]
Representative Shirley Owens-Hicks – [email protected]
Representative Stephen LeDuc – [email protected]
Representative Anne Paulsen – [email protected]
Representative Cory Atkins – [email protected]
Representative Deborah Blumer – [email protected]
Representative Barbara L’Italien – mailto:Rep.BarbaraL
Representative John Scibak – [email protected]
Representative Patrick Natale – [email protected]
Representative Tom Sannicandro – [email protected]
Representative John Lepper – [email protected]
Representative Vinny Demacedo – [email protected]
Senate PresidentRobert Travaglini – [email protected]
Speaker of the House Salvatore DeMasi – [email protected]
I am praying for this bill to go through. Closed records have caused enough damage in their wake. It is time to end the lies and deceit of this antiquated system.
Send her a copy of Elizabeth Samuels’ article off the AAC site where she talks about *why* records closed. Or the Washington Post summary.
and let’s pray that the truth and ethical behavior prevails over lies and coverups and hiding people’s histories from them.