Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on June 12, 2007, to allow a person who was adopted to get a copy of his or her original birth certificate upon reaching age 21, and allow the birth parent of an adopted child to insert a contact preference form in the file with the sealed birth record, indicating a desire to be contacted or not should the adopted child obtain the birth records

The vote was 99 in favor, 8 opposed and 3 not voting

(House Roll Call 659 at House Journal 65)

Click here to view bill details.

Thank you Sen. Wojno. This all we have ever asked for. A right to our beginnings. I've been searching for over 30yrs. During that time I have written the courts about obtaining by orig. BC. I have said all along that adoptees should be given the right to obtain their org. BC at age 21. At sixteen I got a drivers lic. and never told no because I was adopted. At 18 I could vote and no one said no because I was adopted. At 21 I was of legal age to drink and smoke and no one said no because I was adopted. But when I asked for my BC I was told no because I was adopted. I am not allowed to know of my past, my children don't have a heritage from me and neither do my grandchildren. I think this is appaulling. Both of my aparents are deceased and I still can't get any information. I am now without 2families. We need more Senators to put themselves in our shoes and listen to adoptees and their stories. I hope Michigan will come to realize this would help alot of people. They need to change with the rest of the States who are finally understanding the adoptees side of adoption. Again I thank you. Pamela (Stickel) Evans ISO bmother/bfamily 7/26/53 Battle Creek, Michigan

As an adoptee, I have been trying to find my birth parents for about 25 years...at the age of 45, I think it's time I am able to get some information about who I am!! Not only do I not have medical histories, but my kids don't either. Thank you so much for paying attention to an issue so close to my heart. Annie born in Lansing Mich 4/26/62

Michigan does Not have an Open Adoption law and Judges ignore doNot follow laws that are there. Example,on Termination of Parents Rights Form it ask only =Have you been given any money value to consent yet-710.44 5(b,d)SEPARATE AGREEMENT,must be ask or offer,its the LAW,even Appeals doNOT go by laws. REFORM the FORMS ,there would not be so many court battles if Michigan had FORMS that followed its LAWS Adoption of Child is to give a child rights to life. at 18 a child is legal adult,with Rights. Adoption should not be all about Parents Rights. michiganbirthcertificates.com,buyonline,senttoyou ifyouknowmothersmaidedname.fathername.yearetc.

I agree that it is just plain wrong that I am denied access to MY OWN BIRTH CERTIFICATE! NO other segment of the population (that I am aware of) is denied such a basic human right. All I want is my orignal name, my nationalitiy, and updated medical history of my birth family. I'm not looking for a "new family", although I would welcome contact with them if they so chose. I had a wonderful family and a wonderful life with my Mom and Dad, although the are both deceased now and I am only 39. -Karen Murnane, Westerville, Ohio Born 6/18/68 in Grand Rapids (Supposedly anyway!)

I have had the need to apply for a passport twice in my life, and both times it has been complicated because I do not have a birth certificate. I have only a certificate of registration. This time is was easier because now I do have the petition for name change. As a teen applying for a drivers license I also learned that my date of birth had been changed on the certificate. At age 55, I would welcome the opportunity to learn my accurate birthdate and to have some health history. One last note...most adult adoptees have no desire to disrupt the lives of their birthfamilies. I know I speak for many when I say that my overwhelming desire is to say Thank you to the woman who gave me life. I long to tell her that I am well, and that I appreciate the very difficult decision she made. I owe her that tribute. I would deeply appreciate the opportunity to do that one thing for her and for myself. Thank you for taking a step toward making this possible.

I am from Indiana, but I appreciate the effort you are making to have origional birth records opened. My boyfriend and some of my friends are adopted and hope to find their birth parents as soon as possible. It would be nice for Michigan to be the ninth state with open birth records. Hopefully, Indiana will follow and be the tenth. Thank you for your efforts.

VITALCHEK.com,birthrecords.certificates. Most birthparents sometimes get talk into adoption get up there parentalrights,on promised visitation,or MISREPRESENTATION or even fraud. You are right,Judges doNot follow the laws,and theydoNOT ask or offer counseloring. DONOT ask-Have you been given any separate agreement under 710.44(d)5-as statements of visits,samename,to sign CONSENT?? Laws states Judge must ask this. Naive parents sign,thinking to get visits,but are fooled by courts error in the law to ask,or offer. Appeals courts,and Lawyers need to get that RIGHT into play.Judges need to follow that,appeal issue of SEPARATE agreements to get consent sign. Some parents want to visit but law forced them out Misrepresentation to get sign consent,unlawful.

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Thank you Rep. Wojno for helping to be the voice of adoptees. I am an adopted child who has found both birthparents. One was a rougher reunion than the other, neither were perfect, but neither am I. I thank God every day that I was adopted and am very close to my mother, but I am also thankful that the first chapter in my life - the chapter so many of us are denied - has finally been revealed. Unfortunately my brother, also adpoted, has run into a much tougher battle. Every avenue he has tried has been a dead end. I know at the age of 40, it would help in his life just to know where he came from, to have some identity. It breaks my heart that it came so easy for me, and has been such an uphill battle for him. We just want the simple things that most people take for granted. Sometimes you just need to see that you look like someone else. Donna Wilkin adopted Detroit Michigan 2/1970

As a reunited birth mother, I can't thank you enough. As a birth parent, I cannot comprehend denying my "adult" child the god given right of knowing where he came from,or his medical history, all the basic knowledge that every non-adopted person posesses. I understand that every birth parent does not feel as I do, but because they chose to bring their "adult" child into the world, they would have the option of denying contact. (Shame on them.) But at the very least, their "Adult" child would at least have what they themselves have...peace of mind, and their medical history. Cindy Dutton

The opposition to unsealing adoption records uses the term privacy but what they mean is secrecy. Privacy is not under attack, only state mandated secrecy is. The truth is lost in failing to make a distinction between the two; privacy may only be invoked after one is approached under the freedom to associate with whomever we choose to, but secrecy must be invoked before any action can be taken. What this creates is not a defense of privacy, but the prior restraint of an entire class of adopted adults. How short and selective our memories have become. Prior restraint is an expression of bigotry and old beliefs that are now unthinkable. You’re Irish so you can’t work here; you’re black so you can’t live here, you’re Jewish so you can’t join the country club. We keep repeating the same mistakes only we change the people we single out for restraint. When will it end? Prior restraint is pure prejudice. The opposition says I can’t be allowed to know my own mother’s name because I will invade the secrecy she has no right to, or desire for, because I might affect her life. Not because of what I have done but because of who and what I am. I am adopted, and I can’t be allowed the freedom to choose to associate with my own family. It should be between us, not the state. Robert Allan Hafetz 215-343-3319 1014 Surrey Lane Warrington, PA. 18976 Not Remembered Never Forgotten

The court challenge to unseal adoption records in Oregon affirms that there is no legal right to birth mother secrecy. Filed December 29,1999 In The Court Of Appeals The State of Oregon Jane Doe 1 2 3 4 5 6 & 7 VS The State of Oregon (98C-20424; CA A107235) Excerpt from the ruling; "We are sympathetic to plaintiffs argument because its clear that the decision to place a child for adoption is an intensely personal decison. However, we are unable to conclude that a law that permits adult adoptees access to vital records concerning their births has the same sort of constitutional infirmities as the laws that criminalized abortion that were struck down in Griswold, Eisenstadt, and Roe. A decision to prevent pregnancy or terminate pregnancy in an early stage, is a decision that may be made unilaterally by individuals seeking to prevent conception or by a woman who wishes to terminate a pregnancy. A decision to relinquish a child for adoption, however, is not a decision that may be made by a birth mother or baby any other party. It requires a minimum, a willing birth mother, a willing adoptive parent, and the active oversight and approval of the state. Given that reality, it cannot be said that a birth mother has a fundamental right to give birth to a child and then have someone else assume legal responsibility for that child. Although adoption is an option that generally is available to women faced with the dilemma of an unwanted pregnancy, we conclude that it is not a fundamental right. Because a birth mother has no fundamental right to have her child adopted, she can also have no correlative fundamental right to have her child adopted under circumstances that guarantee that her identity will not be revealed to the child."

I have had the opportunity to meet my birth mother, who is now my best friend; however, when I went through the court I was adopted through, I received some incorrect information about her that could have prevented me from wanting to meet her. It was only after talking with her that I found out the truth. Don't believe everything that is "in your record" because some of it could be false. My mom and I want to finish out this chapter by going together to obtain my legal original sealed birth certificate. Thank you so much, Representative Wojno, for pursuing this avenue on our (adoptees) behalf. Cindy

As a birthmother, who gave up a child in 1961, I am so very happy that the committee passed this piece of legislation without 'adjusting' it. My hope is that the full House will support this bill. This bill is about the basic civil rights that all Americans so treasure and enjoy, unless they happen to be born between 1945 and 1980.

Thanks for your battle in getting this law passed. I think it is everyone's right to know of their family history. Rebecca Tucker ISO Birth Family 4-28-1984 Grand Rapids, MI

In 2008, you would think that intelligent people would not even hesitate about allowing the disclosure, including adopted people, about who gave them birth. Can you imagine if you did not know who gave birth to you, did not know your Mom or Dad ?? We adopted individuals have the right, indeed the obligation, to know our genetic history, including important medical information that might be life or death and I am not talking about non-ID info, I am saying we have the right to see out parents. I cannot imagine a birth mother NOT wanting to see or know their child (no matter what the circumstances were from 1945 to 1980 the world has changed). Just knowing who you are is a human right and shame on those who vote or act to prevent it (I bet you know who your parents are)! You, who are not adopted, have no idea what this means and a simple birth cert. can end all the suffering of people adopted between 1945 to 1980. WHY THIS AGE? WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL? LETS GET INTO THE 21st Century and open the records. Sunlight is always a good thing. If the birth parent does not want to meet, thats fine, but do not deny this to other siblings, fathers, etc.....its about time to do this and do it now. Please support this bill and call those mis-guided Reps. and (if and when they vote) Sen. that vote no on this. Tell them your displeasure and that you will not support them at election time unless they vote YES. "Remember, the adopted child had no say what-so-ever when this was done to them -- so now at least giving the names of their birth parents through an Original Birth Cert. is the LEAST that can be done. Personally I think much more should be done. Giving access to the records should be passed immediately, its been too long to conceal this information from us adoptees. CALL THE REPRESENTATIVES THAT VOTED NO. URGE THE SENATE TO PASS IT AND GOV. TO SIGN IT!! M

"Can you imagine if you did not know who gave birth to you, did not know your Mom or Dad ??" Yes "I am saying we have the right to see out parents." No, You Don't "Remember, the adopted child had no say what-so-ever when this was done to them -- so now at least giving the names of their birth parents through an Original Birth Cert. is the LEAST that can be done. Personally I think much more should be done" If you pull this off the number of abortions will go up and adoptions will go down. The only thing I would want to say to my birth parents is thank you for not killing me.

As the wife of an adoptee, I can assure you there's more to wanting an original birth certificate than just wanting to meet birth parents. My husband is adopted. We were fortunate to conceive our first child quickly. However we went through 18 months of trying to conceive our second child. When we were finally referred to a specialist, going through a medical history we had no idea about was very difficult for my husband. He shut down for days afterward. He felt that he wasn't contributing enough to the cause of getting pregnant. When I finally did become pregnant, we were referred for high-risk as I'm 35. That meant genetic counseling. Again, my husband shut down because he had no answers to give. We are so grateful for Rep. Wojno for sponsoring this legislation and hope the Senate approves it quickly. It is not only for our benefit that we seek answers, but for our children. Our first child is developmentally delayed and while he has had some genetic testing, it only provides a fraction of the puzzle. All children deserve to know their history, whether it's their ethnic background or what's in their genetic make-up. Can you imagine sitting in a doctor's office and answering "I don't know" to a list of 50+ questions just because you're adopted and have no access to your file? I don't have to imagine it, I've been watching it happen for five years and it's just as disheartening to watch as it is to go through it.

I'm thrilled at the prospect of being able to obtain a copy of my original birth certificate, trully a dream come. I appreciate all the comments and frustrations of the other adoptees.  I too have looked in to the mirror and wished I knew someone who looked like me and was not pleasanty surprised to find a registration card instead of a birth certificate.  While it's too late to meet my birth parents as I'm nearly 60, I would like to have their names. Hurray for the forward looking legislators!  Kathleen, born Suzanne Marie 4/23/50 Detroit.