OHIO: Buckeyes for Equal Access Action Alert! URGENT

BeaOhio: [email protected]
http://www.myspace.com/beaohio

On April 16, 2008 a substitute bill for HB 7, an adoption/fostercare reform bill, which included original birth certificate access for all post-1963 adopted adults without restriction, was introduced in the Ohio House Health The sub bill, (also called LSC ), deletes all reference to obc access found in the original bill; thus, maintaining the current 3-tiered yes-no-maybe system that divides obc access by date of adoption/date of birth and first parent permission.*

BILL INFORMATION
Original HB 7: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_HB_7 (click on link at left)
Sub HB 7: http://www.adoptionnetwork.org/filegallery.asp?f=270&linkId=1346 (2n square on right—pdf.)

HEARING
A hearing on Sub Bill 7 bill is scheduled for 4:00 PM, Wednesday, April 23 in Room 017 (basement) of the Statehouse Testimony requesting the reinstatement of unrestricted obc access can be given. Bring 20 copies of your testimony for the committee. If you can’t testify, then come to support.

If you plan to testify please call Kara Joseph in Rep. Tom Brinkman’s office at .
We have been told that another hearing on Sub Bill 7 will probably be held on Wednesday, April 30 so save that date, too. Please check with our MySpace page for updates. http://www.myspace.com/beaohio

CONTACT
If you are an Ohio adoptee, birthparent, adoptive parent or currently live in Ohio or have an Ohio connection, please contact the Health Committee today and urge them to:

• Support HB 7 as written. Reject Sub Bill 7 unless the exact unrestricted access language from the original HB 7 is restored.

• Support the addition of a contact preference form, if presented.

• Reject all attempts to restrict obc access to any adopted adult for any reason through disclosure vetoes or other methods.

TALKING POINTS—HB 7 as written
• is inclusive. It 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.

• treats all Ohio adoptees equally. It abolishes the discriminatory 3-tiered access system based on date of birth, date of adoption availability, or birth parent permission.

• does not open original birth certificates and other records to the public.

• does not change adoption procedures

• is pro-adoption. It is not controversial. It reflects best practice adoption standards. Unrestricted access to the original birth certificate is a priority of every adoption reform organization in the US. Unrestricted access is supported by the majority adoption professionals.

• is about rights not reunions. It is about the relation of adoptees to the state.

• is non-partisan. In states where access has been restored, Republicans and Democrats sponsored the legislation and voted YES.

If you are a birthparent tell the committee:

• You were never promised anonymity nor did you ask for it.

• You do not expect or need “special rights”

If you are an adoptive parent tell the committee:

• Your son or daughter is not a second class citizen; he or she deserves the same right of identity and public records access as the not-adopted.

• Adoption is a strong institution and can only be strengthened in Ohio by openness and truth.

*Current Ohio law:
• Persons adopted before January 1, 1964: unrestricted access
• Persons adopted January 1, 1964-September 18, 1996: access by court order
• Persons adopted September 19, 1996-present: unrestricted access at age of majority unless a birthparent has filed a disclosure veto with the state; then the adoptee is barred from receiving a copy of their original birth certificate—the public record of their own birth.

PLEASE E-MAIL, WRITE, CALL, or FAX THE MEMBERS OF OHIO HOUSE HEALTH COMMITTEE IMMEDIATELY. TELL THEM TO SUPPORT HB 7 AS WRITTEN AND THAT ANY RESTRICTION TO ACCESS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO OHIO ADOPTEES. TELL THEM YOUR LIFE AND RIGHTS COUNT.

The most important members to contact, by phone even if you talk to their aides, are Representatives Matt Huffman (R-Lima), Robert Mecklenborg (R-Cincinnati), and Speaker of the House Jon Husted.

*Speaker Jon Husted
77 S. High St.
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax:
Email Address: [email protected]

HEALTH COMMITTEE: Chair:
*Lynn Wachtmann (R)
District 75
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Ranking Minority Member:
Brian G. Williams (D)
District 41
77 S. High St
10th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Members:
Barbara Boyd (D)
District 09
77 S. High St
10th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Edna Brown (D)
District 48
77 S. High St
10th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Michael DeBose (D)
District 12
77 S. High St
10th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Lorraine M. Fende (D)
District 62
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Bruce W. Goodwin (R)
District 74
77 S. High St
13th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Jay Hottinger (R)
District 71
77 S. High St
13th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Matt Huffman (R)
District 04
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Shannon Jones (R)
District 67
Assistant Majority Whip
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Tom Letson (D)
District 64
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

*Robert Mecklenborg (R)
District 30
77 S. High St
14th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone: , or in district
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Robert J. Otterman (D)
District 45
77 S. High St
10th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

W. Scott Oelslager (R)
District 51
77 S. High St
13th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Robert F. Hagan (D)
District 60
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

James T. Raussen (R)
District 28
77 S. High St
13th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Chris Redfern (D)
District 80
77 S. High St
10th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Carol-Ann Schindel (R)
District 63
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Fred Strahorn (D)
District 40
Assistant Minority Whip
77 S. High St
14th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Joseph W. Uecker (R)
District 66
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Shawn N. Webster (R)
District 53
77 S. High St
13th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

Kenny Yuko (D)
District 07
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH
Telephone:
Fax :
Email Address: [email protected]

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