A quick update!
Thank you to those that have already submitted letters to the Senate Judicial and Health Committees!
If you would like to submit to the Senate Health Committee Portal, they are open until 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard time today. https://calegislation.lc.ca.gov/Advocates/faces/submitnote.xhtml
The following is a repeat of my last update.
Congratulations! We have a bill!
SB381, Senator Wahab - https://sd10.senate.ca.gov/biography
Feel free to send her a message of support. She is an adoptee! She gets it! https://sd10.senate.ca.gov/contact
The bill will provide unrestricted access to original birth certificates to California born adult adoptees and their direct descendants. It includes a non binding contact preference form for birth mothers.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB381#98AMD
What happens next?
The bill will be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 13th at 1:30 p.m. 1021 O Street, Sacramento, Room 3240.
https://sjud.senate.ca.gov/members
If you would like to attend in person, we will be meeting at La Bou, 1122 11th st. in Sacramento starting at about noon. We will caravan people across the street to the Capitol.
We have two people that will give testimony in support. One adoptee and one birth mother. After that, the rest of us can say one by one in 30 seconds or less that we are in favor of SB381.
It it passes (we need 7 yes votes), it moves onto Senate Health etc. Think School House Rock at the state level! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ8psP4S6BQ
How can you help?
Share the petition! 1,505 signatures and growing. We will keep this active until we have a signed bill. Updates will be sent to legislators and the Governor's office!
Submit a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee. https://sjud.senate.ca.gov/content/senate-judiciary-committee-policy-support-and-opposition-letters Deadline is January, 9th. (Extended!) This can be as simple as My name is................I am a California born adoptee/birth parent, concerned citizen etc. and I support SB381. Vote yes. You can write a longer letter if you wish. Refer to our website for more information! https://caallianceforadopteerights.org
We are receiving enormous support from adoptees and birth mothers. So many poignant letters and emails. Lots of people have submitted already!
Our committee continues to Zoom, email and meet with legislators, the Governor's office, bill consultants, leaders of birth mother organizations, lawyer groups etc. This petition is mentioned always! Numbers matter.
Feel free to join California Alliance for Adoptee Rights on Facebook! All supported are welcome.
We have a long way to go but we have come so far!!!!!
Paul