The Fight for Birth Records in New York #OBC

Tim Monti-Wohlpart always knew he was adopted, but what he didn't know is how hard it would be to find his birth parents.
Because he was adopted in New York, he had no legal right to see his original birth certificate."We don't just have a policy about having sealed records; we have a culture of secrecy," Monti-Wohlpart said.
After a health scare, Monti-Wohlpart was determined to track down his biological mother, in order to fully understand his medical history. It took two years, a lawyers, investigators, and money.
"When I found my birth mother, it afforded me the opportunity to find out more complete information about myself, heal in many ways, and celebrate my fuller identity," he said.
From there, Monti-Wohlpart took his case to the state legislature, on behalf of all adoptees.
"The first New York bill of adoptee rights was introduced during the Cuomo Administration — the Mario Cuomo Administration, I believe 1994," Monti-Wohlpart said. "I lobbied for the first 'clean' New York bill of adoptee rights, meaning unrestricted access to original birth certificates for adult adoptees in 2002 and 2003."
More than 15 years later, Monti-Wohlpart is still fighting.

Source: The fight in New York for adoptees to access their birth records

READ: https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2020/01/17/run-dmc-darryl-mcdaniels-dmc-seeks-his-birth-records-with-a-new-new-york-law?cid=share_clip

UNJUST Sealed Birth Certificate Laws

My original birth certificate--everyone should have the same

As the legislative session wound down in New York, the Assembly passed a bill that allows natural birth parents not only a veto, but put in place a confidential intermediary system, those assuring that many more
birth mothers will deny their children knowledge of their original identity. The bill (S5964) was referred to the Senate Rules committee but in the flurry of activity that engulfs the legislative chambers in the last hours of every session, it stayed in committee as the session ended.

After years of work on giving adoptees the right to know who they are--without any restriction, without a natural parent veto--this legislation was disappointing. Assemblyman David Weprin who has been the main sponsor and spark plug for this bill obviously felt that he could not get a clean bill--no restrictions, no confidential intermediaries--despite strong lobbying at the end to kill the bill. It passed 125-19. My own assemblyman Fred Thiele, who has been a staunch supporter of the original bill that had no restrictions, in the end joined those who voted for this bill.


KEEP READING: [Birth Mother] First Mother Forum: UNJUST Sealed Birth Certificate Laws: 


[1] At this writing: Alabama, Alaska, Kansas, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon and Rhode Island
and allow adult adoptees unrestricted access to their original birth certificates; Rhode Island adoptees must be 25. I call them free states. 

[2] At this writing: Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Montana, Ohio,
Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington. New Jersey will join that list in 2017. The American Adoption Congress website lists the state laws and the access they grant. See: http://www.americanadoptioncongress.org/state.php

[3] Samuels,Surrender and Subordination: Birth Mothers and Adoption Law Reform, Michigan
Journal of Gender and Law, 2013, Vol 20: 1, pp. 32-81.

[4] Samuels, “The Idea of Adoption: An Inquiry into the History of Adult Adoptee Access toBirth Records,” Rutgers Law Review, Winter 2001, Vol. 53:2, pp. 432-434.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO FORWARD TO YOUR LEGISLATOR IN ANY STATE THAT DOES NOT GIVE ADOPTEES THE FREE AND CLEAR RIGHT TO THEIR ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATES.

The Fight to obtain our Original Birth Certificates: Unsealed Initiative: NY's Adoptee Rights Bill

Adoptee Rights Coalition - the Fight to obtain our Original Birth Certificates: Unsealed Initiative: NY's Adoptee Rights Bill: Google+ Tweet This page was updated in March 2012; please refer to Unsealed Initiative for more information.

As some of you know, many Native adoptees were placed with Lois Wyse and Spence Chapin Adoption Agencies, who were part of the Indian Adoption Projects.  New York needs to open their adoption records - let the secrets and lies be exposed and made truth... Trace

Good news in New York State

Assemblyman David Weprin calls for change in state to give adoptees access to their birth records                                                                                                            

Change would help track family and medical issues

BY Jennifer H. Cunningham
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Sunday, November 6 2011, 6:38 PM

 

Norman Y. Lono/NORMAN Y. LONO

Nov 6, 2011 - Manhattan, NY

State Assemblyman David I. Weprin on Sunday called for a change in state law that bars adoptees from seeing to their birth records.

Weprin said he is sponsoring the “Adoptees Bill of Rights” bill to give adoptees access to their birth certificate and medical records once they turn 18. Weprin said birth records are sealed and kept by the state Department of Health once someone is adopted.

"This bill would allow adoptees, when they turn 18, access to their original birth certificate,” Weprin, joined by adoptive advocates, said Sunday on the steps of City Hall. “It is time these archaic laws be amended to reflect our current reality.”

Adult adoptees must go through the courts to get their records - a costly move with no guarantee of success, adoptive advocates said.

“They are the only classification of persons that have no right to their birth information,” said Ellyn Essig, legal advisor for Unsealed Initiative, a group fighting for adoptee access to birth records. “All we’re looking for is equal footing with everybody else.”

Larry Dell, 63, of Maplewood, N.J., discovered he was adopted four years ago, and said changing the law would help him find his family.

“I would get my original birth certificate with the names of my parents,” Dell said. “That’s what I need. That’s the missing piece.”

Weprin said the bill has wide bipartisan support, and he anticipates a vote when the assembly goes back into session in January. Seven other states have passed similar legislation.

Weprin said access to birth records wasn't only a human right, but it allows adoptees to find out their family medical history.

Adoptee Joel Vergun, 51, agreed. Vergun said finding his birth mom, Jill Auerbach, 68, of Poughkeepsie, was the difference between life and death.

“There's a serious history of heart disease in my family,” Vergun said. “Because she found me eight years ago, I went and had some tests done that I wouldn't have known to do otherwise. They found a couple of conditions, which were treated, which would have caused me to have an arrhythmia, which would have caused my heart to suddenly stop like it did my birth father. She saved my life.”

November is National Adoption Month.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/assemblyman-david-weprin-calls-change-state-give-adoptees-access-birth-records-article-1.973061#ixzz1d2Nz424j