Adoption Search, Birth Family Search, Reunion

12/12/06

More on NJ Legislation

Posted by : Karen Sterner in Adoption Search Blog at 09:13 pm , 407 words, 121 views
Categories: Open Records

Marley Grainers blog on the Daily Basterdette makes a lot of sense and she is right. If this legislation or any other legislation gets passed that contains a contact veto, changing it down the road is going to be very difficult. Just as getting legislation passed in the states that currently have closed or sealed records to open them up and give adoptees everything they are asking for is difficult. However, isn't meeting the needs of 99% of the adoptees who would be able to obtain their original birth certificate better than zero? Especially in the states that have a strong Catholic lobby.

Don't get me wrong, I want to have it all, too. But is it realistic to think that the change of having it all is going to happen? Is there anything wrong with taking baby steps? What is wrong with helping a majority? I am having a really hard time understanding this. I hope that you folks reading will be able to help me out with understanding this.

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What are your thoughts no the NJ bill? Whether it has a chance of passing or not we all take a stance one way or another. The NJ bill is very similar to the bill introduced in PA last fall. The consensus of the PA bill was thumbs down (understandably) from state and national organizations because it didn’t contain unconditional access to the original birth certificate. In fact, neither does this NJ bill. Yet some of the same supporters of the NJ bill, have made public statements opposing the PA bill. Marley Grainer and Bastard Nation are the only ones showing any consistency here. Why is this?

Maybe the train of thought of those who have fought the PA bill has changed that explains why they are supporting the NJ bill. I don’t know but, folks, don't you think it would help if we were all on the same page? Barring that, at least we could stay on one page and show consistency regarding open records legislation. Do you think that doing otherwise will be detrimental?

If this bill passes in New Jersey, it will certainly set the stage for PA and surrounding states where the Catholic lobby is influential. I am looking forward to working again with the legislators, and various PA triad members during this legislative session to help and provide input on getting legislation passed in PA. It is way past due.

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Comment from: Ann Wilmer [Member]

GRC has also had a consistent position. We did not endorse either the PA bill or the NJ bill, nor did we actively oppose it. That's not a satisfactory position but, the reasons are simple. (1) Realistically, NJ has been trying to pass a good bill in every legislative session for 20+ years. (2) It's really difficult to actually endorse a bill with a contact veto. Some of the founders of GRC live in Maryland, another state with a strong Catholic lobby, and we know the result. We had a bill that was less than perfect -- no contact veto but it left those of us for whom records were not sealed retroactively without relief. We didn't like it but we thought that stopping a wrong was more important than offering a remedy to all those already wronged. So we reluctantly supported madating that OBCs no longer be sealed even though those of us who were in the trenches working on the bill would not get relief. BN opposed it, as did the Catholic lobby. The bill was defeated but in only two years a less desirable bill did pass. We should have taken what we could get! Now Catholic Social Services enjoys another source of income to support the adoption business -- searching on behalf of those whose OBCs they insisted must remain sealed. Half a loaf could be a meal for a hungry person. And while opponents of less than pure open records bills insist that because no group has ever been able to return to the legislature and expand adoptee rights that it can't be done. Insisting doesn't make it so. Those states other than Kansas and Alaska have not had semi-open records for very long. It might be too soon to try to expand adoptee right in those states but it's certainly worth considering. Ann Wilmer

Permalink 12/20/06 @ 11:25