RI adoption-records bill held
Published: June 25, 2009
PROVIDENCE—A bill allowing adult adoptees to access birth information has been held for further study.
Adoption records in Rhode Island are sealed and require a court order to open them.
A bill considered by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee would have permitted adults to obtain copies of their birth certificates if their birth parents approve.
The Providence Journal reports that the committee held the bill after opponents criticized it during a hearing Wednesday. Critics opposed an amendment to the bill that required the approval of birth parents.
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Reader Reactions
Most first parents DO welcome contact from the children they relinquished. They did not just “give away” their child and forget. Adoptees deserve the same treatment as non-adoptees: unrestricted access to the state held document that accurately records their birth. Anything less is discrimination.
For health reasons i think that adopted children/adults should be able to locate their birth parents. If the parent dose not want to interact with them fine, but allow the child/adult the common courtisy to at least know if there is cancer, heart of other severe illness are genetic. I realize that these people gave their children away and want nothing what-so-ever to do with them but for the love of god don’t be so cruel. I myself could not just give away a baby and never think what he looks like is he alive, happy, sick. Did I do the right thing?
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