NJ former Adoption Reunion Registry coordinator supports NJ legislation -

Home News Tribune Online 03/10/08

Donaldson Institute releases report supporting the adoptee's right to the Original Birth Certificate — FOR THE RECORDS: RESTORING A RIGHT TO ADULT ADOPTEES, released this month for National Adoption Awareness Month, represents the most comprehensive examination to date of one of the most controversial, emotional issues in the modern adoption world: whether adopted people, once they become adults, should have access to their original birth information. This report suggests that all states change their laws so that the answer is "yes". To read the report, please visit: www.adoptioninstitute.org

The Guttmacher report on abortion statistics lists Delaware as one of the top five states in the country in per-capita abortion rates. While that statistic may be accurate, the Delaware paper, The News Journal, reported on January 22, 2008 that the per-capita abortion rate in Delaware dropped from 31.3 per 1,000 women in 2000 to 28.8 in 2005. Delaware’s law allowing adoptee access to the original birth certificate took effect in January 1999.

Carolyn Hoard, AAC Representative-Delaware

The Adoption Mystique Award Winning Finalist In the USA Book News 2007 National Best Books Award — Kissimmee, Fl - November 2007 - On November 1, 2007, USABookNews.com, the premiere online magazine and review website for mainstream and independent publishing houses, announced the winners and finalist of the 2007 National Best Books Awards.  Winners and finalists traversed the publishing landscape. They included publishing houses like Simon & Schuster, Penguin-Putnam, HarperCollins, Random House, and McGraw-Hill.  Amongst the winners, The Adoption Mystique: A Hard-hitting Exposé of the Powerful Negative Social Stigma that Permeates Child Adoption in the United States was a finalist in the social change category.

The Baby Thief Named One of the Best Nonfiction Books of the Year:

Barbara Bisantz Raymond's book that revealed how a corrupt "baby seller" began the practice of sealing adoptee's birth certificates was named one of the 25 best nonfiction books of the year by Publishers Weekly. The Baby Thief: The Untold Story of Georgia Tann, the Baby Seller Who Corrupted Adoption was described as "a rigorous page turner" by Publishers Weekly. The book is being published in England, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.

TORONTO — A Superior Court judge has quashed an Ontario law that allowed the opening of past adoption records. The legislation, which was to take effect on September 17, would have allowed birth parents and adoptees to access information about each other, but the ruling on September 12 struck down the law. Noted Toronto civil-rights lawyer Clayton Ruby launched a constitutional challenge to the Adoption Information Disclosure Act last year. He filed the challenge on behalf of four Ontario residents — three adoptees and one who gave up a child for adoption. The province's information commissioner says the ruling confirms the importance of an individual's right to privacy.

New Hampshire celebrates 1000 Original Birth Certificates to Adult Adoptees
A ceremony will be held July 9th at 10:00 AM at the New Hampshire Vital Records office in Concord, N.H. to celebrate the issuance of the 1000 th Original Birth Certificate (OBC) to adult adoptees born in New Hampshire. New Hampshire restored the civil and human right for adoptees to receive their OBC in 2004 when Senate Bill 335 (SB335) became law. New Hampshire became only the 7th state in the U.S. to allow adult adoptees access to their original birth certificate along with, Alabama, Alaska and Delaware, Kansas, Oregon and Tennessee.

Maine enacts legislation to provide adult adoptees with original birth certificate access. LD1084, an Act to Provide Adult Adoptees Access to their Original Birth Certificates, was signed into law on June 25, 2007. AAC congratulates the Maine organization for on their success. For more info, please visit: www.obcforme.org

Trevor Jordan reviews The Baby Thief by Barbara Raymond in Australia
View the review here: www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=6083