The pending bill to “open birth records to adoptees” would work a drastic and very ill-advised change in Maine law that has stood the test of time since 1953, when the Legislature wisely made adoption records confidential to protect the integrity of adoptive families.

The purpose of that law was to assure that adoptive families were treated as real families, and to protect the privacy of both the adoptive parents and child and the birth mother. All the interests were balanced.

We have in this state a very reasonable and effective registry system that allows adoptees to contact their birth parent, and vice versa, if both sides voluntarily wish to do so. This proposed change in the law would violate that expectation of privacy and voluntariness. That is its purpose.

Some people view adoption as some sort of temporary arrangement until the adopted child and birth parent can be “reunited.” As an adopted child, and father of three adopted children, I do not see it that way.

The law does not see it that way either, unless this harmful piece of legislation passes to reverse 54 years of very sound policy that has worked well.

The debate ignores the interests of Maine families including adopted children.

The Legislature should not enact this bill.

Bryan Dench, Poland

Editor’s Note: The Legislature passed the adult adoption information bill, LD 1084, on June 20.

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