Friends of “CLEAN” adoption reform, Technical amendments we helped complete yesterday (Thursday) kept our bill a “clean” proposal that we, and our New York Adoptee Rights Coalition (NYARC), continue to support! Because of your great help, A9959-B / S7631-B appears to be headed for an Assembly Health Committee vote, likely next Tuesday 6/5! See our recent NYARC statement, noting the updated bill number, A9959-B / S7631-B, at the end of paragraph #2. This also assists with status and communications! http://nyadopteerights.org/where-things-stand/ Governor Cuomo + A9959-B / S7631-B: If you call the Governor’s office at (518) 474-8390, suggested talking points to politely cover are: 1. We are asking that he support A9959-B / S7631-B, to restore adoptee rights, as intended in the legislature and in accordance with best practices in adoption 2. A9959-B / S7631-B is a result of the Department of Health adoptee rights workgroup, convened via Governor Cuomo’s direction last December 3. You are one of over 5,100 supporters of the Citizens Petition to Advance the “Clean” Adoption Reform Bill Continued thanks to: • Assemblymember Weprin (A9959-B sponsor) • Senator Lanza (S7631-B sponsor) • Assemblymember Carroll (prime cosponsor) • Assembly cosponsors: Gottfried (Health Chair!); D’Urso; Colton; Woerner; Seawright; Rivera; Thiele; Blake; Rosenthal, L.; Johns; Skoufis, Barron, Murray, Brabenec, Pellegrino, Schimminger, McDonough, Butler and Cook A9959-B / S7631-B + FEATURES INCLUDE: • Unrestricted access to long form original birth certificates (OBC) for all adult adoptees, just like all non-adopted citizens and adults who “age-out” of foster care! • Support for the general health and well-being of adoptees! • OBC access for direct line descendants, or legal representatives, if the adoptee is deceased • OBC access for legal representatives • Clarifying terms “commissioner” and “department” to ensure all adult adoptees will be able to complete an OBC request http://nyassembly.gov/leg/?default_fld=&leg_video=&bn=A09959&term=2017&Summary=Y&Text=Y EVERYBODY POLITELY CALL / WRITE ASSEMBLY HEALTH CHAIR RICHARD GOTTFRIED (ALREADY A COSPONSOR FOR A9959-B !!) Richard Gottfried, Assembly Health Committee Chair GottfriedR@nyassembly.gov 518-455-4941 or 212-807-7900 Assembly Health Committee FULL e-mail database (TO COPY and PASTE): gottfriedr@nyassembly.gov, abinantit@nyassembly.gov, bichotter@nyassembly.gov, braunsteine@nyassembly.gov , byrnek@nyassembly.gov, cahillk@nyassembly.gov, cymbros@nyassembly.gov, dinowij@nyassembly.gov, galefs@nyassembly.gov, garbarinoa@nyassembly.gov, gunthea@nyassembly.gov, hevesia@nyassembly.gov, jaffeeE@nyassembly.gov, kimr@nyassembly.gov, lavinec@nyassembly.gov, mcdonoughd@nyassembly.gov, norrism@nyassembly.gov, paulina@nyassembly.gov, rae@nyassembly.gov, raiaa@nyassembly.gov, rosentL@nyassembly.gov, schimmr@nyassembly.gov, solagesm@nyassembly.gov, steckp@nyassembly.gov, titonem@nyassembly.gov, walterr@nyassembly.gov SUGGESTED EMAIL TITLE (if you write): Please advance “clean” adoptee rights (A9959-B / S7631-B) SUGGESTED NOTE AND /OR PHONE SCRIPT (ADD YOUR STORY IF WRITING!): “Hello. My name is ________ and I am contacting you from ________ [NOTE IF A CONSTITUENT!]. I am one of over five thousand one hundred supporters of the “Citizens Petition to Advance the ‘Clean’ Adoption Reform Bill.” We respectfully ask that the Health Committee support and advance A9959-B which will, as intended in the legislature, restore unrestricted access to original birth certificates for all adult adoptees. On February 10, 2015, the Health Committee voted 23 – 2 in favor of “clean” adoption reform, in accordance with best practices in adoption. A later amended version, which was regressive, expensive and unacceptable was, happily, vetoed by Governor Cuomo last December. Our rapidly growing cause is supported by the Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA), the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) and the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) just to name a few. Now, with A9959-B / S7631-B, we can get it right and make it equal. Thank you for your consideration! CALL / WRITE: ALL MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE To determine if your local district Assembly Rep. is in Health Committee, go to: http://nyassembly.gov/mem/search/ Thomas J. Abinanti abinantit@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5753 Rodneyse Bichotte bichotter@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5385 Edward C. Braunstein braunsteine@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5425 Kevin M. Byrne byrnek@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5783 Kevin A. Cahill cahillk@nyassembly.gov 518-455-4436 Steven Cymbrowitz cymbros@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5214 Jeffrey Dinowitz dinowij@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5965 Sandy Galef galefs@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5348 Andrew R. Garbarino garbarinoa@nyassembly.gov 518-455-4611 Richard N. Gottfried, Chair gottfriedr@nyassembly.gov 518-455-4941 Aileen M. Gunther gunthea@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5355 Andrew Hevesi hevesia@nyassembly.gov 518-455-4926 Ellen Jaffee jaffeee@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5118 Ron Kim kimr@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5411 Charles D. Lavine lavinec@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5456 David G. McDonough mcdonoughd@nyassembly.gov 518-455-4633 Michael J. Norris norrism@nyassembly.gov 518-455-4601 Amy Paulin paulina@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5585 Edward P. Ra rae@nyassembly.gov 518-455-4627 Andrew P. Raia raiaa@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5952 Linda B. Rosenthal rosentL@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5802 Robin Schimminger schimmr@nyassembly.gov 518-455-4767 Michaelle C. Solages solagesm@nyassembly.gov 518-455-4465 Phil Steck steckp@nyassembly.gov 518-455-5931 Matthew Titone titonem@nyassembly.gov 518-455-4677 Raymond Walter walterr@nyassembly.gov 518-455-4618 Contact Tim with outreach updates or news you’d like to share! tmw713@gmail.com Sign up with the New York Adoptee Rights Coalition (NYARC): Main page: http://nyadopteerights.org/ Sign up: https://nyadopteerights.org/join/?source=Petition Our New York legislative session is slated to continue until June 20th. We thank you as always for your vital support! Stay tuned for the latest updates and adoptee rights calls to action! Onward in New York! Tim, Doris and Jennifer