In Ohio access to adoption records, obtaining non identifying information is available to adult adoptees, natural parents, and siblings if the adoption was finalized before January 1, 1964 or after September 18, 1996. If the adoption was finalized between January 1, 1964 and September 18, 1996 adopted adults must petition the probate court to receive information. Ohio considers the age of adulthood to be 21 years of age.

In order to obtain identifying information an adult adoptee whose adoption was finalized between January 1, 1964 and before September 18,... more

Adoptions finalized on or after September 1, 1999 an original birth certificate will be available to adult adoptees unless confidentiality has been requested by natural parents or a sibling in the same adoptive family is less than 18. The adult adoptee will need to provide a certified court order to CO Health Statistics and Vital Records indicating that no restrictions apply to the release of the original birth certificate, report and/or decree of adoption and other correspondence in sealed file.

In addition natural parents are not entitled... more

Massachusetts SB 2690 (formerly SB 959) passed the legislature on December 26, 2006 and is awaiting the Governors signature.

The original bill in Massachusetts (SB 959) would have restored the right of unrestricted access to the original birth certificate to all Massachusetts adoptees. However, the amended bill (SB 2690) has been amended to favor some. The current version of the bill once effective if signed by the governor will allow those adopted persons 18 years of age or older born in Massachusetts on or before July 17, 1974 or on... more

Like I was saying open records is a civil right not unlike the struggles of black people fifty years ago. A Martin Luther King, Jr., saying that people are seeking justice, that they are asking for what is right. A Malcom X saying that they are demanding their due, by any means necessary. Both understandable, although one is more intimidating than the other.

There was also a third person half a century ago--Rosa Parks. Ms. Parks, you'll recall, was the lady who refused to sit in the back of the bus. She was arrested, and history points to that... more

Written by Phil Ruggiero Jr.

NOTE: I received this recently from an adoptee in regards to the recent legislation and a question that I posed to him asking him what his thoughts were on the NJ legislation that passed the Senate on December fourth. With his permission, it has been printed here. He makes some excellent points and I hope you will share your thoughts with us as well.

The tenth dimwit reference is to Marley's latest bastardette blog, in which she names and quotes nine enemies of open records in NJ.

Currently,... more

Today the NJ senate voted in favor of giving adoptees access to their birth records. A news articles in the Home News Tribune can be accessed at http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061204/NEWS/61204008

The results of the vote were 26-12-1 to have NJ open access to birth records. Now, the bill only needs to pass the Assembly but they have not yet considered the bill this session.

As of current law, NJ adoptees can only obtain a copy of their amended... more

According to an article on The China Post at http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/detail.asp?ID=85310&GRP=B “Every adopted child has the right to know where they came from and who their biological parents are.”

Taiwanese adoptees --including those adopted internationally--are now entitled to their records.

A news conference held on July 4th, the Children’s Bureau under the Taiwan Ministry of the Interior and Child Welfare League Foundation announced the establishment... more

As a member of the adoption community for almost 20 years I have always been interested in the rights of adoption triad members. As an adoptee I know what it means to every adoptee to be sealed away from updated medical information. I know the feelings that come from having to draw an X through the medical history questionnaire at the doctors office. I also know the outcome of searching for a connection to a natural parent and having it come to an end at a grave site.

I strongly believe that it is time for all states to establish... more

The American Adoption Congress (AAC) is an organization that supports state-by-state legislative efforts to obtain access for adult adoptees to their original birth certificates. AAC prefers unrestricted access to this document for all adult adoptees but will accept compromise legislation if, in the opinion of AAC and local supporters, such a compromise is necessary to obtain the greatest access for the greatest number of adopted persons. For more information regarding the American Adoption Congress, you can visit their website at www.americanadoptioncongress.org.... more

The second film was a film which Jean made about open records. I had viewed a longer unedited version of it last year at the CUB (Concerned United Birthparents) retreat and was very impressed with it then.

The version that I saw last week was much shorter, but, a very enlightening and compelling movie about the open records’ movement. An interesting facet of her film to me was the inclusion of older adoptees who are seeking their adoption records. One adoptee that she interviewed in the film was an 87 year old women who talked about her struggle to obtain her records.... more