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As Adam Pertman (Executive Director, Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute) so eloquently testified, state legislature no longer have to speculate what might or might not happen should adoptees' access to their own birth records be restored. There are six states with UNRESTRICTED access and several more with various levels of access dependent upon date of birth and other criteria. State legislatures considering restoring adoptees' birth record access in their states only have to look at the experiences of states that have already done so. Kansas and Alaska have never restricted adoptees' access. Oregon has a ten year history of restored access. In Oregon, when compared to birth record requests from adoptees, less than 1% of birthparents had filed a "no contact" preference. As noted in this commentary, 94% of birthparents in adoption cases handled by DYFS did not want "protection" from their children. Do the Defenders believe it is right to deny 100% of adoptees the right to access in order to protect the 6% (or less) of birthparents who desire no contact? Do the Defenders believe it is right to charge adoptees a search fee (usually hundreds of dollars) to do what volunteer search angels do for no cost? Is it right to charge the non-adopted $25 for a birth certificate, but make the adopted pay hundreds of dollars for a CHANCE to receive the same piece of paper? Do the Defenders believe it is right to expect a deceased birthparent to register? The Defenders' warning that "some birthparents might not know the law has changed" cuts both ways. How do you expect a birthparent to know that they can register after signing a promise NOT to search? Do the Defenders believe it is right to seal the original birth records of ALL adoptees, even in open adoptions and step-parent adoptions? The Defenders represent the Adoption Industry and the Adoption Industry runs on money made from adoptions. It is in THEIR best interests to keep the status quo.