Subject: ACTION ALERT: California (Gay Adoption)
From: ACTION ALERT Moderator
Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 21:26:35 -0500 (CDT)

[ submitted by [email-masked] ]

PLEASE ALSO REPOST TO ANY OTHER CALIFORNIANS SUPPORTIVE OF LGBT RIGHTS.!

National Center for Lesbian Rights
CA ACTION ALERT--OUR FAMILIES ARE UNDER THREAT
(National Center for Lesbian Rights, <[email-masked]>
870 Market St, Suite 570, San Francisco CA 94102
phone= 415-392-6257, fax= 415-392-8442)

DEAR NCLR SUPPORTER:

ENCLOSED YOU WILL FIND INFORMATION REGARDING PROPOSED REGULATIONS CONCERNING
SECOND-PARENT AND JOINT ADOPTIONS BY LESBIAN AND GAY COUPLES.  WE ASK THAT
YOU REVIEW THE ENCLOSED AND MAKE YOUR OPPOSITION TO THE REGULATION KNOWN.
 THIS PACKET INCLUDES BACKGROUND INFORMATION, A SAMPLE LETTER AND THE
PROPOSED REGULATIONS THEMSELVES.

[for full packet, contact NCLR as shown above.  this email contains only the
background info and action as the rest didn't scan.!]

CONTACT INFORMATION AND TALKING POINTS FOR WRIITTEN TESTIMONY IN
RESPONSE TO CDSS PROPOSED REGULATIONS REGARDING ADOPTIONS BY
UNMARRIED COUPLES

On September 3, 4, & 5, 1996 hearings will be held around the state of
California to hear testimony regarding formal adoption of a proposed policy
of the Department of Social Services.  Under current policy the Department is
required to recommend against    adoptions by unmarried couples.  This policy
has never been formally adopted and despite the existence of such a rule,
judges throughout California have granted thousands of adoptions by lesbian
or gay male couples, including primarily second-parent or "limited consent"
adoptions.

But now hearings have been set to formally adopt this discriminatory and
arbitrary policy.  [...!. We do not yet know what effect formal adoption of
the policy will have on second parent or joint adoptions by lesbian or gay
male couples.  However, we consider this process and the language supporting
the policy to be a threat to the ability of lesbian and gay male couples in
at least some parts of California to gain legal protection for our families
and children.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

**The most effective way to object to the proposed regulations is through
WRITTEN testimony.**  Written testimony will be more effective than oral
testimony at the hearings themselves.The hearings themselves are staffed by a
regulatory employee with no decision making authority or power.  Written
testimony is required to be reviewed and responded to by those who will
approve or reject the regulations.  Please write letters, encourage your
friends, family members, clergy, ect. to write as well.

Please copy NCLR on all letters so we can track this effort.

*Address
Frank R. Vitulli, CDSS
Office of Regulations Development
744 "P" Street, MS 7-192
Sacramento, CA 95814

**Reference in your letter that you are writing in response to the proposed
California Department of Social Services regulation regarding adoptions by
unmarried couples.**

*Note: All objections including your letter will be reviewed by attorneys in
the Office of Administrative Law (OAL).  After review of all written
testimony and arguments the OAL, pursuant to statute, will make a
recommendation to the Department of Social Services re adopting or rejecting
the regulations.

*Make your objections as clearly as you can--be as respectful as possible and
make your arguments concisely.

*Do not write anonymous 1etters.

Background information for you:

Prior to any regulation being approved for adoption it must be demonstrated
that the regulation is "necessary" to carrv out the  purpose for which it is
proposed (in this case to provide the department (of social services) with
guidance in determining the best interests of children in a prospective
adoption).

It is on thispoint that we believe the regulations to be most vulnerable.
 Moreover, the regulations must be the most effective means of achieving the
stated purpose and must be less burdensome to affected persons than other
alternatives.

Thank you for your help]

National Center for Lesbian Rights, 870 Market St., Suite 570,
San Francisco CA 94102,
phone: 415-392-6257, fax: 415-392-8442, email: [email-masked]

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