MAINE: UPDATED STATS AND PICTURES

Bobbi Beavers from OBC for ME tells us that the state’s Vital Stats office has been overwhelmed with requests for original birth certificates. As of January 9, 274 requests have been handled and a lot more are waiting. Dan Companion, who received his obc on January 2 and met his first family the following day has sent me a couple links I didn’t have before and am posting here: WCSH-TV, PortlandRestrictions lifted on original birth certificates featuring TV interviews with Dan who came up from Florida and other out-of-state-Day1ers. Here is Dan’s’ slideshow of Opening Day events, pictures of the Statehouse in Augusta, and his reunion. Congratulations Dan and all Maine adoptees!

COUNTDOWN MAINE!

If you are looking for information on the Dmitry Yakolev/Chase Harrison case and other Russian adoption news, please scroll down to previous blogs ***** Just a few more days and Maine joins the charmed circle of free states: Alaska, Alabama, Kansas, New Hampshire and Oregon that allows full and unrestricted access to all adoptees of their original birth certificates. Here is a press release from OBC for ME about the grand records opening and surrounding events. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Bobbi BeaversCo-founder, OBC for MESouth Berwick, [email protected] Cathy RobishawCo-founder, OBC for MEFalmouth, [email protected] New Law Affects Maine Adoptees Maine has restored a basic human right to all Maine-born adult adoptees – the right to know their identity at birth! Just as New Hampshire, Alabama and Oregon legislatures have done in the past 12 years, the 123rd Maine Legislature made the decision in June 2007, via LD 1084, to correct an injustice the Maine Legislature enacted in 1953 when they declared that the original birth and adoption records of adoptees were to be sealed upon adoption of any child after August 8th of that year and leaving adoptees access to their original identity only at the discretion of the courts and Continue Reading →

BAD NEWS DAY IN MAINE

As if there isn’t enough to be pissed off about in AdoptionLand! Two of our brighest pols lost in the November election . Sen. Paula Benoit (R-19) lost to Democratic challenger, Seth Goodall, 11,119-10,957–163 votes. The vote went into recount and the results announced today. Benoit told the Kennebec Journal that she doesn’t think she could have done anything more to win the election. “I think it was very much anti-Bush. pro-Obama. I got caught in the middle of that.” Democrat Bobbi Beavers (r), organizer of OBC for ME was defeated by 3-term incumbent Sally Lewin by–get this–50 votes–2,628-2,578. Beavers and Benoit spearheaded the successful effort in Maine to restore the right of accessb there. Their defeats are certainly Maine’s loss. They are true bastard warriors, (well, Bobbi is a first mom, but I’ll make her an honorary bastard). I’ve met Paula a couple times and she’s a class act. What pol could say no to her? And I’ve known Bobbi for years. I can’t imagine why anyone would want Sally Lewin repping them when they could have Bobbi. Maine post, but we won. Unsealing the records is moving along right on schedule. OBC for ME Thanks to Pat Lubarsky!

MAINE RESTORES ADOPTEE RIGHTS–UNRESTRICTED ACCESS

Yippee!!! Bastard Nation is happy to welcome Maine as the 6th state to recognize the rights of adopted persons. Today Maine Governor John Baldacci signed HLD 1084, restoring the right of identity and birth certificates without restriction to adoptees 18 and older, born in Maine. The law takes effect January 1, 2009. LD 1084 passed both houses last week by a huge margin. Although there was some talk of the bill on a couple lists, OBC for ME, the Maine adoptee rights organization, asked Bastard Nation to sit on the news until the governor signed it into law and they could make their own announcement first. You can read about it here http://www.obcforme.org/ Bastard Nation congratulates Bobbi Beavers and OBC for ME for a job well done. They held the line and won. BN’s official statement will be released tonight and posted here and elsewhere.