Illinois HB 5428 - The Aftermath

*I am angry at a state that still wants to maintain its control over adopted adults.

*I am angry at a state that continues to dictate who can and cannot get their birth certificate.

*I am angry at a state that creates a new law that gives birth parents the right to veto adoptees' requests for their original birth certificate.

*I am angry at a state that treats adoptees differently in the law because of the circumstances surrounding our births. If not for being born out of wedlock, we would have our birth certificates.

My granddaughters often say to one another: "You're not the boss of me." This is how I see my relationship with the state.

HB 5428 is a bill that I hate and so do many other adoptees; yet it is loved by thousands more. I ask myself, "What separates us?

I'm a purist. I believe that the state should restore to all adopted adults their right to access their original birth certificate at the same time and in the same way = the way that non-adopted citizens get their birth certificate and not in the ways outlined in HB 5428.

So long as the state has control over even one adopted adult, the state is in essence still controlling all of us. It is way past time for the state to get itself totally out of our lives. When we reach the age of maturity, just give us our birth certificate and our adoption documents and kick us out of the system. Do that and you will be giving us the biggest gift of all - the chance to be just anonymous citizens of Illinois.

FROM PREMISE TO LAW

Birth mothers irrevocably relinquished us to a new life at least 21 years ago. Allowing them to have any say over us at this state of the game is ludicrous. Yet here comes the state, HB 5428 in hand, giving birth mothers a legal right to exercise authority over our lives today, actually creating a new legal tie between us. That state says that there has always been a premise that birth parents were promised anonymity by the state. Now the premise has become a law.

The irony here is that there never were any promises or contracts or agreements concerning anonymity made between the state and birth parents. It is a big lie. But for a lot of reasons, too complicated to go into here, the state needed reasons for keeping our records sealed. So the state began telling this lie every time adoptees raised a voice in protest.

"OH NO," says the state. "We promised birth parents that we would keep their identities secret from their offspring and we must uphold this promise." Tell it enough times and people start to believe you.

I always thought that when birth parents relinquished their children to adoption, it was irrevocable. It was a "forever" act on their part. After 30 days, the adopted child is legally the child of his/her adoptive parents - forever.

FINAL AND IRREVOCABLE CONSENT TO ADOPTION

I, .....(relationship, eg., mother, father, relative, guardian) of ....., a ...male child, state:

That such child was born on ..... at .....

That I reside at ....., County of ..... and State of .....

That I am of the age of ..... years.

That I do hereby enter my appearance in this proceeding and waive service of summons on me.

That I do hereby consent and agree to the adoption of such child.

That I wish to and understand that by signing this consent I do irrevocably and permanently give up all custody and other parental rights I have to such child.

That I understand such child will be placed for adoption and that I cannot under any circumstances, after signing this document, change my mind and revoke or cancel this consent or obtain or recover custody or any other rights over such child. That I have read and understand the above and I am signing it as my free and voluntary act.

Dated........ [750 ILCS 50/10]

HB 5428 has set a new precedent by changing the rights of birth mothers.

I wonder ----- How much litigation will stem from HB 5428?

I wonder ----- Is it really legal for a state to honor or uphold a promise made between private citizens when this promise stomps on a third person's constitutional, civil, and human rights?

I wonder ----- Now that the state has created a new law for birth parents, what other new laws may follow? I've got a really great idea for a new law.

Why not write a bill in which all non-adopted citizens must have parental permission to get their birth certificates. How would that go over with the general public? Do you see how absurd this whole situation is? Why should any adult need permission from a parent before accessing a birth certificate? It's stupid! But it is exactly what is going to happen after 5428 becomes a law.