Email Officials

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM JOYCE BAHR, NYSAR PRESIDENT

Contact your legislators in their District Offices. To learn who your state assembly member and
senator are call the Albany switchboard at: 518 455-4218. The phone number in New York City for the League of Women Voters is (212) 725-3541. There are 150 assembly members and the link to the assembly website is
http://assembly.state.ny.us

There are 62 state senators. One way to find out who your senator is is by logging
on to the senate site,
www.senate.state.ny.us

We now have 56 assembly sponsors. Although we have only 6 in the senate, we are very hopeful for the future. With more interest and more of us committed to lobby in Albany next session, we are determined to win.

A written letter (snail mail) is of more importance with many legislators. However, some value emails. If your email does not get through, go to SEARCH and type in the name of the legislator for access to their website, as many have their own sites. Then send an email from the site. Be sure to include your address and phone number in your mail.

Urgent!
Write and/or call the Chair of Codes Urge him to allow at vote on A2277 in the 2008 Session

Assemblymember Joseph Lentol
619 Lorimer Street Brooklyn, NY 11211
phone: 718 383-7474

New York State Governor-Eliot Spitzer
State Capitol
Albany, New York 12224

Important! Write to the Speaker asking him for a vote on A2277 by the Full Assembly.
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver
Democrat
LOB 932
Albany, NY 12248
Albany phone (518) 455-3791
Manhattan phone (212) 312-1420

Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno
Republican, 43rd District
LOB 909
Albany, New York 12247
Albany office (518) 455-3191
Saratoga Springs office (518) 583-1001
Bruno@senate.state.ny.us


Please write, call or email these legislators now regarding:
Bill A2277--for Assembly
Bill S235 for Senate

Be sure to include your address and telephone number.


How to compose an email message in mere seconds!

1) “Click and drag” to highlight the Sample Letter text below (please note there are two Sample Letters below - one for Assembly members and one for Senators). Select “Edit, Copy” on your browser menu (this will place the Sample Letter text temporarily onto the Clipboard).

2) Click on the “email address link” for a legislator from the list below. Doing so should automatically launch your email package, and insert the legislator’s email address into the “To” field.

3) Click in the “Body” area of your email message, and then select “Edit, Paste” from the menu.

4) Lastly, just make the necessary customizations that are in blue text below (i.e. the legislator name, your telephone number, and your name and address).

5) Click on “Send”!


********* Sample Assembly Letter *********

Dear Assemblyperson Bacalles (fill in the appropriate name),

Pass bill A2277 the Bill of Adoptee Rights. Give tax paying citizens the right to their original birth certificates. Data coming from states that have opened records in recent years indicates that very few birth parents want confidentiality. Many birth mothers will tell you that they were not promised confidentiality. Others will tell you they were told they would have confidentiality even though they never wanted it. Why should mothers and fathers who never raised a child prevent that child who is now an adult from access to an original birth certificate? Why should any parent prevent an adult from their birth right? The sealed record law is unfair, outdated and discriminatory.

Although thousands of adoptees have searched and have reunions that work and most citizens believe adoptees should have this right, there are some non-adopted persons who want to deny adoptees this right. Do these non-adopted persons take for granted access to their birth certificates? It is disrespectful to the dignity of an adopted person to have their birth certificates sealed and hidden from them. Bill A2277 gives birth parents the option of stating they want “No Contact”. This bill is fair to all. Now is the time to change the unfair, outdated and discriminatory law that seals records. Pass this bill and bring the law up to date with norms accepted in today’s world.

Please contact me at (XXX) XXX-XXXX (please fill in your phone number) if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

(Please provide your name and address so they will know which District you live in)

********* End of Sample Assembly Letter *********


Senate Health Committee Members

Senator Kemp Hannon
Republican, 6th District
Health Committee Chair
501 Capitol
Albany, New York 12247
Albany office (518) 455-2200
Westbury office (516) 222-0068
Hannon@senate.state.ny.us

Senator Thomas Libous
Republican, 52nd District
LOB 512
Albany, New York 12247
Albany office (518) 455-2677
Binghamton office (607) 773-8771
senator@senatorlibous.com

Senator Velmanette Montgomery
Democrat, 18th District
LOB 306
Albany, New York 12247
Albany office (518) 445-3451
Brooklyn office (718) 643-6140
montgome@senate.state.ny.us

Senator Hugh T. Farley
Republican, 44th District
LOB 412
Albany, New York 12247
Albany office (518) 455-2181
Farley@senate.state.ny.us

Senator William J. Larkin -- Prime Sponsor
Republican, 39th District
LOB 915
Albany, New York 12247
Albany office (518) 455-2770
New Windsor office (845) 567-1270
Larkin@Senate.state.ny.us

Senator Mary Lou Rath
Republican, 61st District
LOB 817
Albany, New York 12247
Albany office (518) 455-3161
Williamsville office (518) 455-3161
Rath@senate.state.ny.us

Senator John A. De Francisco -- is a co-sponsor
Republican, 50th District
LOB 307
Albany, New York 12247
Albany office (518) 455-3511
Syracuse office (315) 428-7632
jdefranc@senate.state.ny.us

Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr.
Republican, 8th District
LOB 947
Albany, New York 12247
Albany office (518) 455-3341
Freeport office (516) 546-4100
fuschill@senate.state.ny.us

Senator George Onorato --leaning towards supporting
Democrat, 12th District
LOB 315
Albany, New York 12247
Albany office (518) 455-3486
Long Island City office (718) 545-9706
onorato@senate.state.ny.us

Senator John L. Sampson-- is in support of our Bill
Democrat, 19th District
LOB 506
Albany, New York 12247
Albany office (518) 455-2788
Brooklyn office (718) 649-7653
sampson@senate.state.ny.us

Senator Thomas Duane -- is in support of our Bill
Democrat, 29th District
LOB 808
Albany, New York 12247
Albany office (518) 455-2451
Manhattan office (212) 268-1049
duane@senate.state.ny.us

Senator George H. Winner
Republican
LOB 814
Albany, New York 12247
Albany office (518) 455-2091
Fax (518) 426-6976
Elmira office (607) 732-2765

Senator Elizabeth O'C Little
-- is in support of our Bill
Glens Falls

LOB 903 Albany, NY 12247
(518) 455-2811
Fax (518) 426-6873
Little@senate.state.ny.us

Senator Catherine Young --New member
Republican, Olean

LOB 805
Albany, NY 12247
(518) 455-3563
Fax (518) 426-6905

Senator David Valesky
-- is in support of our Bill
Democrat, Syracuse
LOB 707
Albany, NY 12247
(518) 455-2838
Fax (518) 426-2838
Valesky@senate.state.ny.us

Senator Efrain Gonzalez -- in support
Democrat,New from the Bronx
420 Capitol Building Albany, NY 12247
(518) 455-3395
Gonzalez@assembly.state.ny.us

Senator Eric Schneiderman-- in support
Democrat, Manhattan

LOB 315
Albany, NY 12247
(518) 455-2041
Fax (518) 426-6847


New York Senate Bill S235 is sponsored by Senator William J. Larkin. The Bill is in the Health Committee and it mirrors the Assembly Bill.


********* Sample Senator Letter *********

Honorable Senator Hannon (fill in the appropriate name),

Pass bill S235 the Bill of Adoptee Rights. Give tax paying citizens the right to their original birth certificates. Data coming from states that have opened records in recent years indicates that very few birth parents want confidentiality. Many birth mothers will tell you that they were not promised confidentiality. Others will tell you they were told they would have confidentiality even though they never wanted it. Why should mothers and fathers who never raised a child prevent that child who is now an adult from access to an original birth certificate? Why should any parent prevent an adult from their birth right? The sealed record law is unfair, outdated and discriminatory.

Although thousands of adoptees have searched and have reunions that work and most citizens believe adoptees should have this right, there are some non-adopted persons who want to deny adoptees this right. Do these non-adopted persons take for granted access to their birth certificates? It is disrespectful to the dignity of an adopted person to have their birth certificates sealed and hidden from them. Bill S235 gives birth parents the option of stating they want “No Contact”. This bill is fair to all. Now is the time to change the unfair, outdated and discriminatory law that seals records. Pass this bill and bring the law up to date with norms accepted in today's world.

Please contact me at (XXX) XXX-XXXX (please fill in your phone number) if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

(Please provide your name and address so they will know which District you live in)

********* End of Sample Senator Letter *********



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