Tag Archives: Michigan

NAM/NAAM Day 17: More on Michigan. Read Rudi Owens’ Legislative Review

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Rudi Owens, author of the memoir “You Don’t Know How Lucky You Are” and a Michigan adoptee rights activist, has published a good account of the November 8 public hearing and passage of the bills the next day in the House…I knew what our side’s testimony would be, so I appreciate Rudi’s summary of the irrational discriminatory and adopteephobic testimony presented by Michigan Catholic Charities lobbyist Rebecca Mastee (gee! surprise! Don’t they ever give up?) and attorney Heath Lowry, representing the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence. Both presented archaic claims of secrecy, anonymity, state promises,” and adoptee stalkers that were disproved decades ago. Rudi writes: Continue Reading →

NAM/NAAM Day 14. Safe Haven Baby Boxes Juggernaut Continues

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Nothing says National Adoption (Awareness) Month more than the current SHBB national janggernaut.  We are just about half-way through this dreadful month, and seven new boxes have been opened–excuse me, blessed–so far. Another is scheduled to open this week.  Who knows what’s in store for us for the rest of the month? Adoption is beautiful! Especially with no pesky parental strings, best practice, and ethics attached. Continue Reading →

NAM/NAAM Say 13. Michigan: On the Winning Track

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n November 8, less than a month after the bills were introduced, both bills were voted favorable out of the Committee on Families, Children, and Seniors. The next day, the House passed both bills,  99-8, and it was transmitted to the Senate. The Michigan legislature, for all intents and purposes, is now in recess so we will have to wait until next year to seal the deal. Continue Reading →

NAM/NAAM 2023 Say 12: Michigan: Bastard Nation Letter of Support for HB5248 and HB5149

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We support HB5148 a “clean bill” that allows all Michigan-born adoptees, their descendants or legal representatives to obtain the adoptee’s original birth certificate without restrictions or conditions upon request at the age of 18, The bill contains a voluntarily optional Contact Preference Form which allows biological parents to record if the would like contact, but does not control the release of the OBC.

We support HB5149 which eliminates current court and Central Adoption Registry control over the release of the OBC. It retains biological parent denial of identifying information requests already on file, BUT that request does not restrict OBC access. No release vetoes can be filed after July 1, 2024. Continue Reading →

Do Michigan Adoptacrats make big bucks off of Safe Haven babies?

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That, of course, could mean a state agency, but since Bethany has moved 30 babies, it suggests that babies are routinely shipped off to private adoption corporations to finish the forever family identity-stripping process.  This means that Michigan adoptacrats,  again, using the lowball figure of $30,000, have potentially glommed more than $8.5 million off of abandoned babies.  “Safe Delivery ” keeps the Great Lakes adoption cruise line afloat. Continue Reading →

What’s Up with Pennsylvania? No Safe Haven Baby Boxes

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For some time I’ve wondered why Pennsylvania hasn’t acquired any Safe Haven Baby Boxes–nicely re-branded now as benevolent-sounding “newborn safety devices/incubators.” The state legislature passed a law authorizing their use in 2017. To hear it from baby box friendlys kanoodling across the interwebs, lawmakers and just plain folks everywhere are chomping to get boxes installed in every firehouse wall they can find, yet the welcoming State of Pennsylvania sits empty with 0 boxes.

Well, now I know. why. Continue Reading →

"SAFE HAVEN" SURVIVOR

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In Columbus this summer a Grove City-area woman “surrendered” her newborn (and on Bastardette) into the Ohio “safe haven” program. Later, she and her mother talked to Columbus Dispatch reporter Rita Price about what had happened According to them, the 20-year old mother agreed to the “safe haven” under the influence of delivery-room medication. She received no counseling and was under the impression that “safe haven was a “Christian adoption program” not an anonymous baby mill. Naturally, officials at Doctors Hospital have refused comment. Last we heard, the mother had gone to court to retrieve her baby. (I am working on a longer piece on this case and ODJFS shenanigans for here and broader publication). This woman is one of the very few “safe haven” mothers who have been granted a public voice, be it ever so small. Now, we have another voice: Melissa from Michigan. Melissa sent her story to blogger Baby Love Child, in response to an earlier entry on “safe haven” mislabeling.” While her comments remain on that entry, BLC has also posted them together with a short commentary in a separate entry A Critical Perspective on Baby Safe Haven Baby Dump Programs. Melissa tells us that Continue Reading →

BASTARD NATION ACTION ALERT: PULL B 4896 AND HB 6287

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PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD Michigan House Bills 4896 and 6287 are simply taking up space right now in the Senate Committee for Families & Human Services. Senator Mark Jansen, Chair, has not yet set a hearing for these bills. WE NEED TO GET THESE BILLS PULLED RIGHT NOW. WE DON’T WANT THESE BILLS TO EVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY. ASK SENATOR JANSEN TO KILL HB64896 AND HB 6287. Senator Mark Jansen Assistant Majority Caucus Chair Committee for Families & Human Services Chair [email protected] If possible, can you please c/c Senator Dennis Olshove, Assistant Democratic Caucus, [email protected] and House Representative Lisa Wojno, Sponsor, HBs 4896/6287, [email protected] Here’s why we have to write! Word is out to all BIRTH MOTHERS in Michigan to write to the Senator in support of the bills. The proponents of the bills say they don’t stand a chance of passing their bills unless birth mothers write and tell Sen. Jansen and the Committee how good the bills are because they contain a disclosure veto. In fact, the bills are now being touted as bills about birth mothers’ rights to privacy. The supporters of the bills are telling adoptees that it’s okay for them to write Continue Reading →

MICHIGAN: STOP HB 4696 AND HB 8297

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Michigan deformers have capitulated. Michigan’s original clean obc-access-rights-for-all bill has been replaced by something-is-better-than-nothing-for-a-few-favor legislation: the tie-barred HB 4896 and 6287. These bills, which must be passed together, contain a disclosure veto disguised as a Contact Preference Form that authorizes what the leggies quaintly call “former parents” and even more quaintly, “former siblings” to block issuance of the obc to adopted individuals. The bills also contain a contact veto. They have already passed the House and are now in the Senate. I had high hopes for Michigan, which already allows some adoptees to retrieve their obc and their identity. And I am sorry and sad that good people with good intentions have taken a short-term approach instead of a long-term solution. In the end we all pay. These bills need pulled. Below is the Bastard Nation Action Alert and how you can help stop this travesty. PLEASE FORWARD FREELY MICHIGAN HOUSE BILLS 4896 & 6287 The Michigan House of Representatives has just passed two very restrictive adoptee rights bills, HB 4896 and HB 6287, by the frightening majority of 90 – 10. The bills have now been forwarded to the Senate Committee on Families and Human Services. Please contact ALL Continue Reading →

MICHIGAN: WARNING–HB4896/4897/6287 ARE NOT CLEAN BILLS

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There’s been some talk on the ‘net that Michigan’s HB 4896 is a clean bill. IT IS NOT. Here is an informal message from Anita Field about the Michigan situation. We will have more information this later, but in the meantime please distribute this information freely. Bastardette Hi guys, Here is an update of Michigan HB 4896. You won’t be jumping for joy when you read this. Please forward all over. The original Michigan HB 4896 was really a good bill. It passed the Children and Family Services Committee by a vote of 8-5. But somehow on its way to the floor of the House, someone decided to split it into two bills. Consequently, HB 4896 was amended beyond recognition. The amended HB 4896 (4897) is now a very short bill. It seems to have 3 sections. 1. The bill will establish a Central Adoption Registry which must approve clearance to any adopted individual who requests an obc. Clearance will come after the adoptee has fulfilled the requirements of the Dept. of Human Services. 2. A CI may request the obc of an official client but the record shall be clearly marked “sealed record only.” 3. HB 4897 shall not Continue Reading →