BUCKEYES FOR EQUAL ACCESS:
OPEN RECORDS FOR ALL OHIO ADOPTEES
PLEASE DISTRIBUTE FREELY
OHIO ACTION ALERT
BUCKEYES FOR EQUAL ACCESS SAYS:
OHIO ADOPTEES NEED YOUR HELP NOW!
SUB BILL ERASES BIRTH CERTIFICATE ACCESS
BeaOhio: beaohio@gmail.com 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 127 0671-4), 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 614-644-6886.
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
FULL ACCESS MUST BE RETURNED!
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 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-5316
Fax: (614) 719-3591
Email Address: district37@odr.state.oh.us
HEALTH COMMITTEE:
Chair:
*Lynn Wachtmann (R)
District 75
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-3760
Fax : (614) 719-3975
Email Address: district75@ohr.state.oh.us
Ranking Minority Member:
Brian G. Williams (D)
District 41
77 S. High St
10th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 644-5085
Fax : (614) 719-6941
Email Address: district41@ohr.state.oh.us
Members:
Barbara Boyd (D)
District 09
77 S. High St
10th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 644-5079
Fax : (614) 719-0009
Email Address: district09@ohr.state.oh.us
Edna Brown (D)
District 48
77 S. High St
10th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-1401
Fax : (614) 719-6948
Email Address: district48@ohr.state.oh.us
Michael DeBose (D)
District 12
77 S. High St
10th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-1408
Fax : (614) 719-3912
Email Address: district12@ohr.state.oh.us
Lorraine M. Fende (D)
District 62
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-7251
Fax : (614) 719-3962
Email Address: district62@ohr.state.oh.us
Bruce W. Goodwin (R)
District 74
77 S. High St
13th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 644-5091
Fax : (614) 719-3974
Email Address: district74@ohr.state.oh.us
Jay Hottinger (R)
District 71
77 S. High St
13th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-1482
Fax : (614) 719-3971
Email Address: district71@ohr.state.oh.us
Matt Huffman (R)
District 04
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-9624
Fax : (614) 719-0004
Email Address: district04@ohr.state.oh.us
Shannon Jones (R)
District 67
Assistant Majority Whip
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 644-6027
Fax : (614) 719-3967
Email Address: district67@ohr.state.oh.us
Tom Letson (D)
District 64
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-5358
Fax : (614) 719-3964
Email Address: district64@ohr.state.oh.us
*Robert Mecklenborg (R)
District 30
77 S. High St
14th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-8258, or in district
Fax : (614) 719-3584
Email Address: district30@ohr.state.oh.us
Robert J. Otterman (D)
District 45
77 S. High St
10th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 644-6037
Fax : (614) 719-6945
Email Address: district45@ohr.state.oh.us
W. Scott Oelslager (R)
District 51
77 S. High St
13th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 752-2438
Fax : (614) 719-6951
Email Address: district51@ohr.state.oh.us
Robert F. Hagan (D)
District 60
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-9435
Fax : (614) 719-3960
Email Address: district60@ohr.state.oh.us
James T. Raussen (R)
District 28
77 S. High St
13th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-8120
Fax : (614) 719-3582
Email Address: district28@ohr.state.oh.us
Chris Redfern (D)
District 80
77 S. High St
10th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 644-6011
Fax : (614) 719-6980
Email Address: district80@ohr.state.oh.us
Carol-Ann Schindel (R)
District 63
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 644-6074
Fax : (614) 719-3963
Email Address: district63@ohr.state.oh.us
Fred Strahorn (D)
District 40
Assistant Minority Whip
77 S. High St
14th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-2960
Fax : (614) 719-6940
Email Address: district40@ohr.state.oh.us
Joseph W. Uecker (R)
District 66
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-8134
Fax : (614) 719-3966
Email Address: district66@ohr.state.oh.us
Shawn N. Webster (R)
District 53
77 S. High St
13th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 644-5094
Fax : (614) 719-6953
Email Address: district53@ohr.state.oh.us
Kenny Yuko (D)
District 07
77 S. High St
11th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215-6111
Telephone: (614) 466-8012
Fax : (614) 719-0007
Email Address: district07@ohr.state.oh.us
Cut and Paste NOTE: addys have no names):
district41@ohr.state.oh.us, district09@ohr.state.oh.us
district48@ohr.state.oh.us, district12@ohr.state.oh.us
district62@ohr.state.oh.us, district74@ohr.state.oh.us
district71@ohr.state.oh.us, district04@ohr.state.oh.us
district67@ohr.state.oh.us, district64@ohr.state.oh.us
district30@ohr.state.oh.us, district45@ohr.state.oh.us
district51@ohr.state.oh.us, district60@ohr.state.oh.us
district28@ohr.state.oh.us, district80@ohr.state.oh.us
district63@ohr.state.oh.us, district40@ohr.state.oh.us
district66@ohr.state.oh.us, district53@ohr.state.oh.us
district07@ohr.state.oh.us, district37@odr.state.oh.us,
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