The Washington State legislature  is currently running two OBC access bills:  HB 1525 and SB5118. (original bill)  These are not Bastard Nation bills.

Originally both contained language that maintained current Disclosure Vetoes in place and continue the option for future use.  Last week the Senate amended its bill and removed all DV language current and prospective.  (Sub bill)  The House has not followed suit.

Washington State activists have  asked for immediate action from to urge the Washington House to amend its bill bu removing all DV language as well. The House offers a template on the HB 1525 bill page  to send your opinion.  Posts are limited to 1000 characters, so it has to remain short.

Here is what Bastard Nation sent:

Bastard Nation: the Adoptee Rights Organization urges sponsors of HB1525 to amend the bill to align with SB5118: remove current language (and law) that authorizes biological parents via a Disclosure Veto, to bar the state from releasing the OBC to his or her adult offspring.. HB1525 sponsors have it half right. They find something inherently wrong with vetoes, yet feel an obligation to maintain them. This may justify bad past legislation but does no justify denying WA State adoptees the restoration of their right to their own OBCs without restriction, a right all not adopted persons born in WA enjoy. There is no middle ground. A right exists or it doesn’t. It is not contingent on third party approval. Reportedly only 4 DVs have been filed with the state since 1993. The right of all WA State adoptees to their OBCs without restriction should not be held hostage by anonymous parents for whom a special right has been carved out. Please remove all DV language.

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Excuse my impatience, but just give Hoosier Bastards their goddamned OBCs and be done with it!

The  newest trick pony spinning  on the Indiana merry-go-round  is HB 1029 sponsored by freshman Rep. Sharon Engle (R-Attica).  The bill, if passed, according to the Lafayette Journal Courier,  would allow the relatives of adoptees and pre-adoptive siblings  access to birthparent medical histories. Current law permits adoptees birthparents, adoptive parents, relatives of an adoptive parent, state or country child and family services-related officials, adoption agencies, and courts to petition for the release of medical information.   (I have no idea why a court would have to petition  itself  to get the records.  Maybe it’s an Indiana thing . A similar bill was stuck in committee last session.

Here’s the synopsis of the bill taken from the Indiana Leg page.  Scroll down the bill page page and you’ll see the entire bill.  Notice that there is only a minimal change in current language.
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