URGENT - IL OPEN ORGANIZATION ACTION ALERT

There is an URGENT IL Open Organization Action Alert posted at www.ilopen.org.

NOW is the time to speak out and everyone opposed to IL HB 5428 needs to do this. Please don't think that others are taking care of it. Don't stop with the senators because we need for newspapers to print what a horrid bill this is. We need the news media to let the taxpayers know. How could they be happy about an expense that is not necessary when there is already a fiscal crisis in IL?

If this bill becomes law, forget adoption reform in IL. It would set a precedent to the other states with closed records too.

We want civil rights restored to ALL adopted adults - you must speak out!

TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED

When I have not been busy with writing to senators and newspapers regarding IL HB 5428, I have been wondering where are the IL adopted adults.

Now I do realize that those born prior to 1/1/46 could be happy with anticipating that if the horrid bill becomes law, they will have access to their original birth certificate (OBC) with no conditions attached. Sadly some people only think of themselves.

I'm from the old school where I was raised to treat others the way that I like to be treated. For years I've had my own OBC but I still care about the ones that don't. I've never been able to turn my back on other adopted adults. I will admit that I do want my civil right restored to me and I won't sit back until it is. But neither will I sit back and not kick and scream to see equality for ALL IL adopted adults. Nothing less than equality for all is acceptable.

Do those sitting back realize that if this bill becomes law in IL, a precedent will be set for other closed record states? Do they realize that if this bill becomes law, adoption reform will not happen in IL?

Those living in IL should think about the unemployment rate and how it is on the rise partly due to the fiscal crisis in our state. When less income is coming in, less spending is done and that ultimately affects many things.

Are you going to sit back or are you going to speak out? The time is here and the clock is ticking away. HB 5428 was fast-tracked through the House and it is happening in the Senate. If you have written to newspapers and not had a letter published, write some more letters. If you have emailed legislators, try calling or faxing them. It appears that our legislators do avoid email. A phone call might not result in getting to speak directly with a senator but the more messages from opponents the better.

Thanks in advance for helping to fight this bill!

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!