03/23/1995 02:05 PM House HES

 HHES - 03/23/95                                                               
 SB 62 - BIRTH CERTIFICATES FOR CERTAIN ADOPTEES                             
                                                                               
 Number 060                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR LYDA GREEN presented her bill.  She said it has been her              
 pleasure to sponsor this bill.  Before 1982, Alaska did not have a            
 provision for granting birth certificates to foreign born adopted             
 children.  In 1982 when Alaska passed such a law, it was the first            
 state to do so.  At that same time, a provision was included that             
 prohibited anyone over the age of 18 from applying for a birth                
 certificate.                                                                  
                                                                               
 SENATOR GREEN explained those persons who were over 18 at that time           
 were excluded from ever receiving an Alaska birth certificate.                
 This bill allows those who were adopted as children, but who are              
 now adults, to not be excluded from receiving a birth certificate.            
 Both the U.S. Immigration Office and Division of Vital Statistics             
 anticipate no great impact.  This does not allow individuals over             
 the age of 18 to be adopted, since federal law prohibits anyone               
 over that age from being adopted.                                             
                                                                               
 SENATOR GREEN said this bill would not be an avenue by which a                
 person living in this country could adopt his/her grandmother to              
 make her an automatic citizen of the U.S.  This bill is designed              
 for that very small group of people who fell through that window of           
 time and are not allowed to get an Alaska birth certificate.                  
                                                                               
 Number 187                                                                    
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIR BUNDE asked Senator Green to remain at the meeting for a             
 moment.  He noted the presence of Representatives Robinson and                
 Brice, who joined the meeting at 2:08 p.m.                                    
                                                                               
 Number 219                                                                    
                                                                               
 MAXINE DEVILBISS, Parent, testified via teleconference.  She and              
 her husband adopted their son Brian from Korea when he was three              
 years old.  At the same time, there were a number of other                    
 adoptions from Korea.  These are children of American Servicemen              
 and Korean women, conceived during the Korean War.  When Brian was            
 adopted, Mr. and Mrs. Devilbiss assumed he would receive a birth              
 certificate.  They found out they could not get a birth certificate           
 for him.                                                                      
                                                                               
 MS. DEVILBISS worked for many years to get a bill through that                
 would allow overseas children to receive Alaskan birth                        
 certificates.  However, she was amazed to find out that the                   
 situation was not retroactive.  She appreciates the bill that                 
 Senator Green has put forth.  The bill will allow Brian, who is 35            
 years old, to have a birth certificate.  There have been times when           
 he has needed one.  This measure will be appreciated by Brian and             
 by other adoptees who were over 18 when the 1982 bill was passed.             
 She really appreciates the consideration of this bill.                        
                                                                               
 Number 352                                                                    
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIR BUNDE thanked Ms. Devilbiss for her kind words and for her           
 testimony.  There were no questions for Ms. Devilbiss, and there              
 was no further public testimony.                                              
                                                                               
 CO-CHAIR CYNTHIA TOOHEY apologized for waiting this long to pass a            
 bill such as this.  She motioned that the bill be moved to the next           
 committee of referral with individual recommendations and                     
 accompanying fiscal notes.  There were no objections, and the bill            
 was so moved.                                                                 
                                                                               
 Number 433                                                                    
                                                                               
 MS. DEVILBISS thanked HESS Committee members on the behalf of her             
 son.  She said her son is a very wonderful Alaskan citizen.  He has           
 his own business, and Alaska can be proud of him.  She wished HESS            
 Committee members good luck and thanked them again.