The Louisiana Adoption Support Alliance (LASA) believes that every Adult Adoptee has the civil right to access documents that give them the opportunity to obtain an up-to-date biological family medical history. Our intent and goal for HB 1028 was to restore that right to Adult Adoptees over the age of 25 after a waiting and outreach period that allowed a birth parent the option to protect their privacy while simultaneously requiring them to provide an accurate, current and updated family medical history. LASA specifically included protective language to address our opponents’ concern of birth parent confidentiality and HB 1028, as we originally constructed it, was balanced and fair to all.
Unfortunately, without our knowledge or approval, last minute amendments were added to the bill immediately prior to the House vote that significantly changed the bill’s structure and intent. Because our primary purpose is to serve members of the Adoption Triad (Adoptees, Birth Parents, and Adoptive Parents), LASA took time after the passage of the amended HB 1028 to listen to their concerns and feelings. As a result of those conversations, LASA feels it must honor and respect the Triad’s collective voice and therefore we are officially withdrawing our support of HB 1028.
We would like to thank Representative Clay Schexnayder and his Legislative Assistant for their efforts to compromise with our opponents and for their hard work on HB 1028. We are grateful for their sincere support of LASA's goal to restore civil rights to Louisiana's adoptees and we are eager to work with them again.
We appreciate the support of the community, we will continue to work for positive legislative changes, and we look forward to the day when every Louisiana citizen is treated equally, no matter the circumstance of their birth.
Louisiana Adoption Support Alliance
Unfortunately, without our knowledge or approval, last minute amendments were added to the bill immediately prior to the House vote that significantly changed the bill’s structure and intent. Because our primary purpose is to serve members of the Adoption Triad (Adoptees, Birth Parents, and Adoptive Parents), LASA took time after the passage of the amended HB 1028 to listen to their concerns and feelings. As a result of those conversations, LASA feels it must honor and respect the Triad’s collective voice and therefore we are officially withdrawing our support of HB 1028.
We would like to thank Representative Clay Schexnayder and his Legislative Assistant for their efforts to compromise with our opponents and for their hard work on HB 1028. We are grateful for their sincere support of LASA's goal to restore civil rights to Louisiana's adoptees and we are eager to work with them again.
We appreciate the support of the community, we will continue to work for positive legislative changes, and we look forward to the day when every Louisiana citizen is treated equally, no matter the circumstance of their birth.
Louisiana Adoption Support Alliance
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