Friends of “CLEAN” adoption reform, Our cause— “CLEAN” NY adoption reform—gained immense ground, with your help, during the 2017 – 2018 legislative session! Albany hears you and we are not being ignored. While the legislature adjourned this week without passage of our bill, dialogue is slated to continue soon. So, we are already preparing for the 2019 – 2020 session (starting in January 2019). Giving up is not part of the equation. We remain humbled and grateful for your support and polite outreach to all key officials. DIALOGUE WITH GOVERNOR CUOMO STAFF: It’s tough knowing that A9959-B / S7631-B is not headed to Governor Cuomo, so he can enshrine long overdue adoptee equality—this time. But vital dialogue has progressed and is slated to continue, even this summer, and well in advance of the start of the 2019 – 2020 legislative session. On Tuesday two of our partners, Annette and Barbara, from the New York Adoptee Rights Coalition (NYARC) reported, as requested, to Governor Cuomo’s office for discussion. With thanks to April, on Wednesday, Tim contributed to a call with a senior staffer who has assumed direct involvement on adoption reform. Her work, linked to the Department of Health following our March workgroup meeting, will be key in further consideration our appeal! Because of you, “clean” adoption reform has gained gradually rising consideration at the highest levels of New York government. MAJOR PROGRESS IN 2017 – 2018: 1. Introducing “CLEAN” legislation https://www.change.org/p/advance-clean-ny-bill-of-adoptee-rights/u/19666019 2. Celebrating Cuomo VETO of adoptee discrimination bill https://www.change.org/p/advance-clean-ny-bill-of-adoptee-rights/u/22182784 3. Launching of New York Adoptee Rights Coalition (NYARC) https://www.change.org/p/advance-clean-ny-bill-of-adoptee-rights/u/22375801 Main page: http://nyadopteerights.org/ Sign up: https://nyadopteerights.org/join/?source=Petition 4. Participating in Department of Health Adoptee Rights Workgroup https://www.change.org/p/advance-clean-ny-bill-of-adoptee-rights/u/22697660 5. Reporting on TV https://www.change.org/p/advance-clean-ny-bill-of-adoptee-rights/u/22700348 6. Passing a “CLEAN” bill in the Assembly Health Committee https://www.change.org/p/advance-clean-ny-bill-of-adoptee-rights/u/22847612 7. Raising awareness in the New York Times https://www.change.org/p/advance-clean-ny-bill-of-adoptee-rights/u/22894439 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/17/opinion/closed-adoptions-birth-certificates.html 8. Receiving new support from Department of Health Adoptee Rights Workgroup participant organizations • Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (AAAA) • AMT Children of Hope Foundation 9. Receiving new and continuing support from organizations • The Philomena Project • North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) • National Center on Adoption and Permanency (NCAP) • American Adoption Congress (AAC) • American Academy of Pediatrics • Child Welfare League of America • Presbyterian Church FOR JUNE – DECEMBER 2018, WE WILL: • Continue dialogue and advocacy (petition and coalition) • Ask political candidates, running this fall, to support “CLEAN” adoption reform • Keep you posted IN 2019, WE WILL: • Advocate for a “CLEAN” NY Law of Adoptee Rights, to restore unrestricted access to original birth certificates—to get it right! And make it equal! THANK YOU! Your help is making a difference! We thank all 5,400+ of our supporters! Onward for true adoption reform! Tim, Doris and Jennifer