Be Sure to Visit my new 1900 Galveston Storm Website at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootseb.com/~barnette
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ADOPTEES GET BIRTH CERTIFICATE
The Oregon Court of Appeals recently upheld the nation's first voter-passed law allowing adult adoptees access to their original birth certificate.
The law was initially voted upon and passed in November 1998. It did not take effect due to the appeal. Prior to the court decision 1468 Oregonians had applied to obtain their original birth certificates. As
soon as the law was upheld the state Bureau of Vital Statistics began processing the applications. In September 1999 the Tennessee Supreme Court upheld a law passed in 1996 allowing adoptees access to their
adoption records. Adoptions records according to that law consists of sealed adoption records, post adoption records, court records, adoption agency records and Department of Health and Vital Records records which would include the
original birth certificate. Three other states Alaska, Kansas and Delaware have similar open adoption records laws. In Texas, House Bill 13, sponsored by Rep Tony Goolsby, died due to not being voted upon
during the 1999 legislative session. House Bill 13 was intended to allow adult adoptees born or adopted in Texas the right to obtain a copy of their original birth certificate.
TEXAS ADOPTEES REGISTER
In 1983 the 68th Texas Legislature passed a law providing for a Central Adoption Registry. The registry was created and is maintained by the Texas Department of Health Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics, P.O. Box 140123, Austin, TX 78714-0123. The Central Adoption Registry maintains a website at http://tdh.state.tx.us/bvs/car/car.htm
The registry allows adoptees, birth parents, biological siblings and under certain circumstances, alledged fathers, all of whom must be over the age 18, to register. There is a $20
registration fee and the registration remains in effect for 99 years. Once a registrants' application has been approved the registrant must participate in a one hour counseling session with a social worker or mental health
professional with expertise in post adoption conseling. Under the registry system when two parties of the adoption are matched, the state will contact both parties and arrange for a reunion.
TEXAS ADOPTION HISTORY
Readers interested in the history of the adoption process and records sealing in Texas may wish to read "Confidentiality and Access to Texas Adoption Records-A Historical Perspective" by Diane Wanger. The article is on the website of the Adoption Triad Forum, the quarterly publication of the Texas Coalition for Adoption Resources and Education. The article is located at http://www.txcare.org/atforum/confid.html
and the home page of TX Care is at http://www.txcare.org . According to the article adoption records in Texas were open to the public until 1931. A law, in 1973, sealed all records associated with the adoption. Under this
law a court, after being petitioned by an adoptee, will normally reveal only non-identifying information about the adoptee's biological parents.
NATIVE AMERICAN ADOPTEES
Title 25 of the United States Code deals with Indian Child Welfare. The law dictates the court of final decree of an adopted Indian child shall inform the child at age 18 of his or her tribal affiliation, if any. The court must inform the child of his biological parents and provide such information as may be necessary to protect any rights flowing from the individual's tribal relationships.
GENEALOGICAL CLASSES
Trevia Wooster Beverly will offer a six week genealogy class, A Family Affair, at the First Baptist Church, 7401 Katy Freeway. Classes will be held on Mondays from 7 PM to 9 PM
commencing February 7. Due to limited space, pre-registration is required. For more information and to register, contact Beverly at 713-864-6862. Margaret J. Harris, Manager of Clayton Library, will teach a six
week genealogical course, Getting Acquainted With Your Ancestors, through Rice University's Continuing Education Department. Classes be held each Thursday from 7 PM to 9 PM from February 17 through March 23. For more
information and to register contact Rice University at 713-527-4803.
GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY IN FORT BEND COUNTY
Readers who live in or around Fort Bend County or who have an interest in Fort Bend County will be happy to know the Fort Bend County Genealogical Society meets the third Saturday of each month except July and August. Meetings are held at the George Memorial Library, 1001 Golfview in Richmond. For more information about the society, contact M. Dixon at 281-342-2660.
NEWS FROM THE BOOK SHELF
Readers interested in the search process of locating persons associated
with an adoption will enjoy reading Mary Jo Rillera's THE ADOPTION SEARCHBOOK: Techniques for Tracing People. The book is priced at $22.95, postpaid, from Pure, Inc P.O.Box 638 Westminster, CA 92684.
Rillera explains the feelings adoptees or birth relatives experience concerning lost family connections and their desire to reconnect. She delves into the emotions of both the adoptee and the birth parent when a child is
adopted. She discusses the denial, anger, postponing of feelings, depression and acceptance of the situation felt by birth parents who give up their child for adoption and the child separated from the parent. `
Rillera goes on to explain the desire to begin the search for a lost adoptive relative and the steps, obstacles and resources and support groups available to aid in the search. She describes the adoption process which consists
of pregnancy, birth, surrender, relinquishment, or, consent to adopt, placement, petitioning and finalization of the adoption in court. She describes the record types one would encounter on an adoptive
search. Those record groups might consist of an original birth certificate, an amended birth certicate, hospital records, agency or state adoption records surrender, relinquishment, consent to adopt and termination of parental
rights papers and final decrees
