This morning I delivered an unprecedented letter in strong opposition to HB2921 and SB1831, discriminatory Arizona bills that relate to the original birth certificates of adult adopted people. The letter has been endorsed by hundreds of people, many of them Arizonans, as well as 38 state and national (and international) organizations, all collectively opposed to the bills. The people and organizations in the letter represent every aspect of adoption, whether adoptees, intercountry adoptees, birthmothers, or adoptive parents.
The message to Arizona legislators is clear: we do not want these discriminatory bills. The bills, if enacted, would arbitrarily divide Arizona-born adoptees into two unequal classes, based arbitrarily and solely on an adopted person’s date of birth. Adopted people born between 1968 and 2022—the vast majority of Arizona-born adoptees— will get nothing from this legislation, and likely nothing for many years, if ever. They will be stuck in what’s known as a restrictive donut hole, with no option to obtain their own birth record except by petitioning an Arizona court.
Ultimately, we are asking legislators to listen and to hear the important and critical voices that are directly impacted by these bills.
If you are an Arizona resident, there is still time to write to your state Senator and state representative to express opposition to these bills. You can find your senator and representative here. You can also share this post or the image below on social media.
Finally, deep appreciation and thanks for the advocates and organizations that endorsed the letter. We did good.
Organization Endorsements
The following organizations endorsed the June 16 letter to Arizona legislators.
ADOPTED VIETNAMESE INTERNATIONAL
ADOPTEE ADVOCACY
ADOPTEE RIGHTS LAW CENTER PLLC
ADOPTEES FOR JUSTICE
ADOPTEES UNITED INC.
ADOPTIONBIRTHMOTHERS.COM
ADOPTION CONCERNS TRIANGLE
ADOPTION RIGHTS ALLIANCE (IRELAND)
ADOPTIVE AND FOSTER FAMILY COALITION OF NEW YORK
ADOPTIEZAKEN & FAMILIERECHT (AZF/NETHERLANDS)
AMERICAN ADOPTION CONGRESS
AMERICAN INDIAN ADOPTEES
BASTARD NATION: THE ADOPTEE RIGHTS ORGANIZATION
CANADA OPEN RECORDS
CAPITOL COALITION FOR ADOPTEE RIGHTS
COACHING TO IMPACT
CONCERNED UNITED BIRTHPARENTS
EVOLVE ADOPTION & FAMILY SERVICES
FAMILY COALITION FOR ADOPTEE CITIZENSHIP
INTERCOUNTRY ADOPTEE VOICES (ICAV)
JMTC THEATRE | THE GOOD ADOPTEE
MARYLAND ADOPTEE RIGHTS
MICHIGAN OPEN ACCESS
MINNESOTA COALITION FOR ADOPTION REFORM
MISSOURI OPEN
MOTHERS OF LOSS (TO ADOPTION)
MUSINGS OF THE LAME
NATIONAL CENTER ON ADOPTION AND PERMANENCY
NEW YORK ADOPTEE RIGHTS COALITION
NORTH AMERICAN COUNCIL ON ADOPTABLE CHILDREN
OHIO ADOPTEE SEARCHES
OKLAHOMANS FOR OPEN RECORDS & ADOPTION HONESTY, INC.
OPEN RECORDS PEI
POST ADOPTION CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND RESOURCES (PACER)
TEXAS ADOPTEE RIGHTS COALITION
THE DUTCH FOUNDATION BIRTHMOTHER
US DONOR-CONCEIVED ALLIANCE
WASHINGTON ADOPTION REUNION MOVEMENT
Individual Endorsements
The following individuals endorsed the June 16 letter to Arizona legislators. An asterisk (*) indicates a connection to adoption, whether an adopted person, birthparent, or adoptive parent, with multiple asterisks representing multiple connections.
Cassandra Adams
Sandra Anderson
Kevin Andrews
Chris Andrews*
James Ansbro*
Erica Babino*
Suzanne Bachner*
Laurie Baker*
Juane Bale*
Tiffany Baran*
Steven Baranowski*
Michele Benson*
Anne Berwanger*
Sue Blanck**
Carrie Blesener, LICSW*
Shannon Bodsford*
Mary Boo
Sally Bowles*
Pennie Bozman*
Bob Brader
Mona Brant*
Hope Brisette*
Karen Brock*
Tina Brown*
Kristine Bryan*
Lynn Burry*
Cynthia Campbell*
Roxan Chen*
Meryl Chesebrough*
Michael Chisholm
Alan Coffelt*
Patty Collings*
Marisa Cooper*
Claudia Corrigan D’Arcy*
Amy Dalton*
Crystal Darnell*
Jim Davis*
Kelsa Dickey*
Courtney Dobson*
Marie Dolfi*
Brandon Dorfman*
Laura Dotson*
Bob Doyle
Joe Duea*
Lorraine Dusky*
Phyllis Edelman*
Joan Edelman*
Craig Elliott*
Tracey Evans*
Danielle Finley
Susan Fitze*
Kathy Flaherty*
Maria Francati**
Jan Frey*
James Gabbard*
Kelly Gwendolyn Gallagher*
MaryEllen Gambutti*
Carole Garvey*
Anne Genovese*
Susan Gibney*
Kris Gilbert*
Karen Gillespie*
Patricia Glisky*
Robin Goldwasser*
Emily Goodhue
Bridget Gordinier*
Marley Greiner*
Kathryn Hallquist*
Joyce Hamblet*
Mary Kay Hamilton*
Diane Hanson*
Marilyn Harris*
Wilder Hart*
Mary Heckman*
Eve Helitzer*
Trace Hentz*
Diana Higgenbottom*
Shawna Hodgson*
Kristi Hoffmaster*
Meg Holtz*
Joe Hong*
Aubrey Jackson*
Kevin Jarvis*
Jennifer Jonson*
Mary Kellermann-Bryant*
Anne Kellett*
Jennifer Kelley*
Maeve Kelly*
Katie Kennedy*
Mary Keon*
Paul Kimball*
Peggy Klappenberger*
Barbara Kluijtmans*
Susan Kollaja
Lory Lasica*
Elise Lewis*
Rosemary Lee*
Meschelle Linjean*
Lynelle Long*
Gregory Luce*
Holly Lysne**
Charlotte MacAulay*
Allison MacEwan*
Richard MacIntyre*
Nancy MacMullen
Heidi Marble*
Jayne Marchesi*
Patricia Marler*
Candace Massey
Cori McCabe
John McCluskey*
Kerry McKendry*
Sharon McNamara*
Erin Merrigan*
Eileen Miamidian
Ann Mikeska*
Cassandra Miller*
Debra Miller*
Megan Milner*
Naomi Mizrahi*
Carleen Mokhtary*
Tim Monti-Wohlpart*
Heather Moran
Amy Mulzer*
Penelope Needham*
Terri Nelson*
Liz Newman*
Annette O’Connell*
Arlene Oakes*
Sharon Obazee*
Leona Obstler*
Meghan Olsen*
Valerie Oren-Stewart*
Mara Parker*
Marla Paul**
Mary Payne*
Randolph Perkins*
Margie Perscheid*
Adam Pertman*
Katherine Peterson*
Linda Pevac*
Christopher Philippo*
Mirah Riben*
Rebecca Ricardo**
Carole Ryan
Bridget Querciagrossa*
Karen Quesnel*
Karol Quinn*
Lauren Rankel
Tony Raymond*
Sara Reichard*
Darlene Riley*
Erica Rivera
Laura Roberts*
Mike Robbins
Maery Rose*
Yolanda Sanders*
Denysep Schumacher*
Caroline Sheridan*
Krystie Schlicker
Denise Schnelle*
Jonathan Scott
Melissa Session*
Kathleen Severson*
Kayla Shands
Julia Shapiro
Priscilla Sharp*
James Shinners*
Ashley Silverman*
Kathleen Simon-Ingalls*
Patricia Skinner Patterson*
Richard D. Slaughter
Barbara Smith-White*
Michelle St. Amant*
Mari Steed**
Raana Stiefel*
Susie Stricker*
Tj. Strubbe
Angela Swanson-Kyriaco*
Laurie Tabor*
Mirren Theiding*
Nancy Thompson
Kathy Tingelstad
Michelle Totterer*
Julie Turbeville*
Leigh Tyler*
Jo Ann Van Reenan*
Gonda Van Steen
Theresa Vitt*
Debbi Wagner-Johnson*
Anthony Walsh*
Linda Warganich*
Marilyn Waugh*
Jamie Weiss*
Carolyn Weitzman*
Kelli Wieker
Darla Wilhoit*
Indigo Willing*
Tarryn Wilson*
Natalie Wimmer
Shirley Winter*
Joanne Wolf Small*
Rachael Wood*
Barbara Zernicke
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