With 87+ sponsors and co-sponsors already on the Weprin/Montgomery Bill, it is the only bill that has overwhelming and broad support and the best chance for enactment—ever. That’s why we’ve asked all groups to unify around the bill as well as to provide us with specific letters of support for S3419/A5594. The support from organizations has been overwhelmingly positive and continues to grow. Below is a the list of organizations that specifically support or endorse the bill so far, including a letter we received today from the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys (“AAAA”), endorsing S3419/A5494 and encouraging its enactment.
Letters and policy statements represent a wide variety of interests, including adoptees, foster care youth and adoptive families, birth parents, adoption attorneys, health professionals, and nationally recognized adoption-related organizations.
Letters of Support for S3419/A5494
- Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of New York, Richard Heyl de Ortiz, Executive Director
- Adoptee Rights Law Center PLLC*, Gregory D. Luce, Founder/Attorney
- Bastard Nation: The Adoptee Rights Organization*, Marley Greiner, Executive Chair
- American Adoption Congress, Amy Winn, President
- Concerned United Birth Parents, Mandy Krahenbuhl, President
- The Philomena Project, Mari Steed, US Coordinator of the Adoption Rights Alliance and Committee Director and Co-founder of Justice for Magdalenes
- Family Preservation 365, Stephanie Mays Staats and Reshma McClintock, Founders
- AMT Children of Hope Foundation, Captain Tim Jaccard, Founder and Director and full-time paramedic for the Nassau County Police Department
- Saving Our Sisters, Renee Gelin, Founder/President
- Lorraine Dusky, First Mother and Author
- Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, Laurie B. Goldheim, Adoption Director
- Faith Getz Rousso, Adoptee and New York Adoption Attorney, Law Office of Faith Getz Rousso
- North American Council on Adoptable Children, Mary Boo, Executive Director
- National Center on Adoption and Permanency, Adam Pertman, President
*Also a core partner of the New York Adoptee Rights Coalition
General Resolutions of Support
- Resolution Regarding Adopted Persons’ Access To Adoption Records from the Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproduction Attorneys
- Open Records Policy of the National Adoption Center
- Statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics, adopting as its own policy the Open Records Policy of the National Adoption Center
- Resolution on Supporting Legislation Regarding the Rights of Adult Adoptees and their Natural Parents from the Presbytery of Newton, affirmed in 1981 at General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and Synod of the Northeast
In addition, the New York Adoptee Rights Coalition has specific endorsed support for its work from the following organizations, each of whom is listed on the NYARC website. We will be pursuing letters of support from these organizations and others.
New York Genealogical and Biographical Society
AdoptieZaken & Familierecht (AZF/Netherlands)
California Open
Canada Open Records
Concerned United Birthparents
Equality for Adoptees
Indiana Open
Italiadoption
Know Your Own
Michigan Open Records
Minnesota Coalition for Adoption Reform
Missouri Open
Nevada Open
Post Adoption Center for Education & Resources (PACER)
This is terrific. Let’s get it done. It is long overdue!!!
We have a right to know where we came from or who we are. As an adoptee, there is that nagging question that never goes away. Please give us an answer. Support this bill and let’s get it passed!