URGENT - IL HB 5428

The IL Senate Judiciary Committee has announced there will be a public hearing at 2:30 on Tuesday, April 13th.

I realize that not every one likes to speak out in front of a group of people. But to have a large number of opponents to this bill at the hearing could help.

Please email me if you can help - mlf@marylynnfuller.com.

WHICH IL SENATORS?

IL HB 5428 really should be referred to as the quiet little mouse. Sneaky Sara Feigenholtz and company mapped out where the traps were and the bill just scurried through on a fast track. We probably will never know how much cheese was dished out first or if favors will be shown down the road a bit further. Not enough representatives had any backbone so now the bill has reached the senate judiciary comittee.

Which senators will do the right thing showing that they believe in equality for all? Will politics come first to where all the Democrats will vote YEA disregarding the state's fiscal crisis? Will they think that it is only right for more people to be laid off work and needed programs be cut? Or will they not even begin to estimate the cost of the year-long, nationwide campaign to inform the public about a new law so birth parents can decide or not to deny their offspring their original birth certificate? Granted we can't count on all the Republican senators to do the right thing either. Many politicians thrive on "scratch my back, I'll scratch yours".

But the legislators who don't do right do not have to be reelected. Voters, keep track of the representative and senator for the district that you reside in. If they don't do right with this bill, can you count on them to do right with other bills? Probably not.

It is doubtful that IL HB 5428 is the only bill that has been kept as quiet as a mouse. When you think about it, it is no wonder that IL is in a fiscal crisis.

Write to your newspapers re: IL HB 5428

I've had another letter to the editor published. Go to www.marylynnfuller.com, click on "letters to the editor" in the navigation bar and scroll on down past the one that was published in The News-Gazette on 3/30.

"Urbana woman says bill harmful to adoptee rights", Paxton Record, 3/31/10

We MUST stop HB 5428 in its tracks. Public awareness never hurts and one of the easiest ways is to write to the editor of the different IL newspapers. See http://newslink.org/ilnews.html#major for links to newspapers. "Contact us" is usually at the top or near the bottom of the individual Web sites. Many editors can be emailed while there will be Web forms to complete at some of the Web sites. Include your name, city of residence, and phone #. Your phone # will not be published but you could receive a call to cofirm that you actually submitted the letter.

IL HB 5428 and IL Newspapers

The IL senators serving on the Assignments Committee for this horrid bill don't seem to want to be contacted by email. They do have phone and fax #'s plus physical addresses. But I consider it vital to get newspaper coverage for HB 5428. You do NOT have to live in IL to write a letter to editors. Go to: http://newslink.org/illinois.html#major and you will find it quite easy to go to the individual websites. A few newspapers have web forms for writing letters while others have email addresses. An Illinois Open Organization Action Alert is forthcoming that will provide a string of email addresses that you can just click. Write one letter if you wish or change the wording a bit for each one - it is up to you.

This morning one of my letters was published in The News-Gazette - go to www.marylynnfuller.com and click "letters to the editor". I have more letters to send out and I hope that you will join me in this needed effort. HB 5428 has got to be amended to treat all adopted adults equally or it has to be killed and not pass through the Senate.

Illinois Open Action Alert

Immediate help is needed to stop IL HB 5428 in its tracks. Illinois Open Organization's Action Alert is posted at www.ilopen.org plus a sample letter for you to write to senators.

Please don't sit back and think others will take care of this. Everyone's help is needed!

GIANT STEP BACKWARD IN ADOPTION REFORM FOR ILLINOIS

Our state representatives have been busy and zipped HB 5428 through the House and now it is in the Senate. We MUST stop this bill from becoming law. The 80-page nightmare of regulation not only keeps the state registry and CI program intact but treats adopted adults as if they were toddlers.

Let's face it adopted adults are allowed to vote and they fight in wars but when it comes to a civil right being restored to them, forget it. We need legislation where ALL adopted adults are treated equally. We can not allow a bill to become law that allows birth parents to have a say in whether their son or daughter can have their original birth certificate.

The bill allows birth parents to file anonymity with the state registry. An OBC-Access Public Information Campaign Oversight Committee will be appointed for a year-long nationwide campaign to inform the public in earnest about the conditions under which an adult adopted or surrendered person may receive a non-certified copy of his or her OBC. I guess it does not matter that Illinois has a severe deficit so is making budget cuts that affect the needy and elderly. They can find money for this type of legislation that is so unnecessary?

The state registry and confidential intermediary program would remain intact. Of course it is benefiting Midwest Adoption Center and should be a conflict of interest if they had any part in writing this bill.

Identifying information pertaining to a birth parent who filed a denial will be redacted. OBC's were signed by attending doctors and notorized. So now it would be legal to alter what was a legal document? I wonder how many notaries approve of this. Would this be a precedent in IL that all notorized documents can be later changed?

PLEASE contact your senators and stop this bill from becoming law. Don't sit back and think that your neighbor will take care of it. We need everyone to contact their senators and not just those personally touched by adoption. See Illinois Open's Web site for how to contact your senators. There is a link on the first page too on how to learn who your senator is - just type in your address at the Web site that you will find a link to.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF A BROTHER

At the age of 56 my beloved brother John lost a long courageous battle with cancer. As I once told him, he was a true inspiration to all cancer patients plus those going through any type of tough trial. John was one to radiate love and encouragement. He often said, "you do what you have to do" with no sign of self pity.

When it seemed that the end was approaching, friends asked how they should pray for John. I told them to ask God for it to be His will that John not become bedfast. He was always so active that I was concerned about how miserable he would become if completely immobile. I can only imagine how tough the battle with cancer was and I did not want John lingering in a state where one loses their dignity. Praise the Lord that prayers were answered.

John will be missed and I regret that I did not know him much longer. But I feel blessed for the time that I had with him. In 2004 he and I really enjoyed going up into the Santa Ana Mountains in CA. He pointed out property to me that he had admired for a while. We talked about how neat it would be to own it and the gorgeous view there would be from any window. We enjoyed other quality time together that I will always cherish.

Thank you, John! I'm sure thinking of your courage and inspiration will always help me through difficult times.

Both John and Joann (refer to my 6/9/09 blog) have passed away. Our time together was short but precious!