Action Requested! Senate Bill 5178 Unacceptable!

We were surprised to find that a bill, “relating to access to original birth certificates after adoption finalization” was filed today in the Washington State Senate.  Senate Bill  5178 is being sponsored by Senators Carrell and Stevens. This is not a bill that WA-CARE has had a hand in nor is it one we endorse at this time.

The bill merely eliminates the words “For adoptions finalized after October 1, 1993” from current law. It does not remove the affidavit of nondisclosure created in 1993.

Because the proposed language would further restrict the rights of adult adoptees WA-CARE is opposed to the bill in its current form.

The change gives more birth parents special rights to refuse adult citizens access to their own birth documents. Birth parents relinquished all parental rights and should not be granted an new special right to deny another adult citizen access to documents that pertain to his or her birth and identity. While Washington’s 1993 law did give post October 1993 birth moms this option expanding that to pre October 1993 birth moms is a step in the wrong direction.

We could support SB5178 if in addition the phrase, “unless the birth parent has filed an affidavit of nondisclosure” were either also removed or if the affidavit of nondisclosure were changed to a contact preference form.

Though this bill is not one we can support right now we are hopeful that our legislators will want input from the people this law affects the most!

The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Human Services and Corrections.

We ask you to join us in contacting the senators involved with a message of your own or the following (Senator contact information is below the sample message):

Dear Senator,

I am writing to ask you to amend SB 5178 so that it does not discriminate unfairly against adopted adults. I appreciate your interest in adoptee rights. I am an adoptee (or birth parent or adoptive parent) and a Washington voter (or your constituent) and I also am very interested in this topic.

I support the right of every adult adoptee to access his or her own birth information. This right should be equal to every other citizen in the State. In order for me to support your legislation, the right of a birth parent to file an affidavit of nondisclosure (created in 1993 for post ’93 birth parents) must be removed from the statue. That affidavit gives a birth parent a special right to deny a fellow adult citizen’s access to their own birth documents and identity information. This is unfair and unequal treatment.

Adopted people should not be treated differently than every other citizen in the state and in order to have equality EVERY adult adoptee must have a right to their own document. The law indeed must be changed but we must do it in a way that doesn’t leave any adopted person behind.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue. To discuss this matter further, please contact representatives of WA-CARE, washingtonadopteerights@gmail.com.

Respectfully,

Name, email, phone, address

Contact Information for Members of the Committee on Human Services and Corrections:

Senator James Hargrove (committee chair), District 24: Clallam, Grays Harbor (partial), Jefferson
hargrove.jim@leg.wa.gov, (360) 786-7646

Senator Debbie Regala (committee vice chair), District 27: Pierce (partial)
regala.debbie@leg.wa.gov, (360) 786-7652

Senator Val Stevens (bill sponsor), District 39: King (partial), Skagit (partial), Snohomish (partial), Whatcom (partial)
val.stevens@leg.wa.gov, (360) 786-7676

Senator Mike Carrell (bill sponsor), District 28: Pierce (partial)
carrell.michael@leg.wa.gov, (360) 786-7654

Senator Doug Ericksen, District 42: Whatcom (partial)
Doug.Ericksen@leg.wa.gov, (360) 786-7682

Senator Nick Harper, District 38: Snohomish (partial)
Nick.Harper@leg.wa.gov, (360) 786-7674

Senator Rosemary McAuliffe, District 1: King (partial), Snohomish (partial)
mcauliffe.rosemary@leg.wa.gov, (360) 786-7600