Dear FSA Members and Others,
We have a very important and urgent issue concerning adoption here in Oregon. To address it, your help is needed now!! Whether you are an adoptive parent, birth parent, an adoptee, someone touched by adoption or simply a concerned citizen, your voice is needed to protect adoption in Oregon. House Bill 2904 (HB2904) is currently being considered by a committee in the Oregon House of Representatives and were this to pass and become law, adoptions in Oregon may significantly decline.
This bill would take away the current rights and protections that Oregon adoption law currently offers birthparents; namely,the choice to make plans for their child’s future. Simply, this bill will have a chilling effect on the adoption process in the state of Oregon. We need your help to stop this legislation from becoming law!
Link to HB 2409:
http://www.leg.state.or.us/11reg/measpdf/hb2900.dir/hb2904.intro.pdf
Implications of HB2409
This bill would make it more difficult for birth parents to choose to to place their babies for adoption and make it easier for adoptions to be overturned. Many of the “protections” in this bill are already available to birthmothers according to the current adoption laws, per the birthmother’s choice. This bill would actually take away her ability to make these choices by requiring certain behaviors from the birth parent and not allowing them to waive proposed mandatory waiting periods. Birth parents would be forced to parent for 8 days or the baby would need to be placed in foster care for that period of time, this could not be waived.
Placement of a child with the adoptive family would be delayed. The creation of the 30 day revocation period that cannot be waived by the birth parent, could lead to more disrupted adoptions/placements and could potentially lead to problems with interstate adoption agreements with other states. This bill will make it a requirement for all the information in an adoptive couple’s home study to be seen by the birth parent prior to relinquishment. This bill will create an ‘adoption attorney fee fund’ paid for by Oregon tax payers.
What you can do?
· Contact your Representative (Find your rep here- http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/) and make your opposition to House Bill 2904 known.
o By e-mail
o By regular mail
· Contact members of the House Human Services Committee - Rep. Vic Gilliam, Rep. Carolyn Tomei, Rep. Lew Frederick, Rep. Jim Thompson, Rep. Mitch Greenlick, Rep. Chris Harker, Rep. Julie Parrish and Rep. Jim Weidner.
· Contact members of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. Sen. Richard Devlin, Co-Chair, Rep. Peter Buckley, Co-Chair, Rep. Dennis Richardson, Co-Chair, Sen. Betsy Johnson, Vice-Chair, Rep. Bill Garrard, Co-Vice Chair, Rep. Nancy Nathanson, Co-Vice Chair, Sen. Alan C Bates, Sen. Chris Edwards, Sen. Fred Girod, Sen. Rod Monroe, Sen. David Nelson, Sen. Chuck Thomsen, Sen. Joanne Verger, Sen. Doug Whitsett, Sen. Jackie Winters, Rep. E. Terry Beyer, Rep. Jean Cowan, Rep. Tim Freeman, Rep. Betty Komp, Rep. Tina Kotek, Rep. Mike McLane, Rep. Mary Nolan, Rep. Greg Smith, Rep. Kim Thatcher, Rep. Gene Whisnant.
What messages are effective in your communication with Representatives:
· Contact them as an individual and identify your interest/involvement in adoption.
· Do not portray yourself as part of Families Supporting Adoption. Examples: “I am a birth mother and placed my child # years ago…” or “I am an adoptive parent of three children…” or or “I am a concerned citizen…”
· Husbands and wives contact your representative separately. Invite your friends and family to contact their (if they live in Oregon) and your Representatives as well. The more individual voices that are heard, the better!
· Share your personal story (be brief). If it is too long, it may not be read.
· Keep it short, simple and to the point.
· State your opposition.
· Express why you are opposed to this bill. If applicable, express specifically how will/would this bill have impacted you?
· Combining letters from adoptive parents and birth parents who placed with them may be especially effective. Include pictures!
· Of course, be respectful and kind.
· Include your name, address and phone number.
For Example- (Don’t copy, use your own words)
“My name is Carrie and I am an adoptive mom of two children here in the state of Oregon. I want to voice my opposition to House Bill 2904. I believe that it takes away a birthparent’s right to make plans for the future of their child and it will have a negative impact on adoption here in Oregon.”
Emails and letters are the most effective communications right now.
Thank you so much for helping us promote positive adoption experiences in Oregon.
Please contact your representative ASAP!
Please reply to this email to let us know that you have contacted your legislator. Thank you!
Carrie C.
FSA Co-Chair
