New Hampshire Adoption News NHOARC

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The Board of Directors of NH Open Adoption Records Coalition has unanimously voted on January 20, 2001 to restate their position on contact vetos. NH OARC does NOT and will NOT EVER support any bill that contains a contact veto. Each and every director has signed the 'No Veto Resolution' which can be viewed on our website at: www.nhoarc.com. If anyone wishes to list NH OARC as a supporter of their bill, permission should be requested before any statement is publicly issued. If anyone has any questions about this, please contact any director at the e-mail addresses listed on our website.

Hi Ladies, I just wanted to let you all know that NHOARC will be hosting a birthmother presentation before the NH Legislators on Thursday, February 8, 2001 at the Walker House on Park Street in Concord, New Hampshire. (Directly across the street from the State House). As I posted in an earlier email, this presentation is in direct response to concerns about the confidentiality "promised" to birthmothers and "contact" issues already voiced by some legislators. It is very important for the legislators to understand that open records is not a birthmother issue but an adoptee's right to have their birth records and their original, unaltered birth certificate. To make this happen we must take the focus off the confidentiality and contact issues surrounding birthmothers. This is our first opportunity in NH to dispell these myths in our fight for open records. A number of you have indicated that you would like to speak for 3 or more minutes. Marie, cannot attend and so she will be writing her "testimony" and sending that to us to read to the legislators at this presentation. If anyone else wants to be a part of helping to dispell the myths relating to the birthmother confidentiality and contact, please let me know right away so that we can finalize the format for this presenation. If you are uncomfortable "speaking" but you can be there perhaps to help with the refreshments that would be a huge help too. One final thing. NH has 400+ legislators and most all of them are suppose to be in Concord on that day. Parking close to the Walker House may be a problem. There are parking garages but again, those will be busy too. You should plan to arrive early to find parking. The CAT bus lines stop at the State House. If anyone is interested in using the CAT that day please let me know and I will get a schedule to help you make a decision about possibly using that form of transportation to get you to the Walker House. I know that the CAT use to stop at Bradlees (tons of parking there) and then hit the State House. Again, I can obtain a schedule and provide that information if anyone is interested. Please feel free to share this information with anyone whom you might feel would be interested.

Hi Everyone... As many of you may know, a coalition has been formed in New Hampshire to submit legislation

in support of the release of original birth certificates to any adoptee over the age of 18.

This hard working group of birthmothers, birthfathers and adoptees have solidified their position and submitted legislation

to the NH house for consideration. I've just joined the group this week (officially) and plan to be an active worker

and supporter of their efforts. While all of you are not from the state of New Hampshire, you can help in two ways.

First, we need to hear from you in writing of your willingness to have your child's records available to them at the age of 18.

The bill will be suspect to the old story of protecting us from our children and that we were promised confidentiality.

(even though we were not). This is a constitutional right of every citizen in the US.

If you are willing to do so, please send your letter to the website listed below for inclusion in our collected documentation

that will be needed as this legislation is pushed forward. Second, (and no surprise), these ladies and gentlemen

are pushing this forward with limited funds and a hand to mouth budget. They have produced a great cookbook

that is available for $7.00 plus $3.00 shipping. It is not only filled with 71 pages of wonderful recipes,

but poetry and stories on adoption, reunion and birthmother expressions of love and longing.

You can show your support by going to their website www. NHOARC.com or writing a check and sending it to

If you can't afford the $10, please send a check in any amount... every dime will help defray the cost of printing and mailings to the more than 400 House of Representatives and 12 Senators in our state. I expect that this bill will not be a slam dunk so we must be prepared for a long and costly process. Our first presentation to the NH house will be on February 8th. We are sponsoring a meet and greet luncheon to answer questions of confidentiality to those legislators who have privacy concerns. Please feel free to send this email to any and all friends of open records....And thanks... Rocky

On Saturday, January 20, 2000, NH Open Adoption Records Coalition (NHOARC)

will be holding their regularly scheduled public meeting at the Hooksett Public Library in Hooksett, NH

from 10:00 a.m. to noon. NHOARC will be gearing this meeting toward developing the format

Testimony will be given by birthmothers and birthfathers relating to expressed legislator concerns

as to issues of confidentiality and contact. We hope to educate the NH legislators about these crucial issues

before the bill actually hits their desks. We are looking forward to hearing as many ideas as possible regarding this proposed

presentation and look forward to seeing as many of you as can attend this meeting on January 20, 2000.

Please feel free to pass this post onto anyone you think might be interested in attending this meeting and/or the presentation.

Those who require driving directions should email Larry Maurice at LarryMcoh@aol.com