International adoption

I did not even know anything like this was in the works and I do not know what it means in practical terms. Does it mean we do not need to spend the money to do a re-adoption or is that still recommended? Codey signs foreign-adoption law at museum: Government belongs to the peopleђ Sen. Gill attests Thursday, May 05, 2005 [font=Arial]By PAUL BRUBAKER[/font]of The Montclair Times [font=Arial]Seven years before Bonnie Lytle was born in the Peoples Republic of China, the government in her native country repressed students calling for democracy in Tiananmen Square. But on Friday, April 29, 9-year-old Bonnie could not have been closer to the workings of democracy as she and acting Gov. Richard Codey held the law, bearing CodeyҒs fresh signature, that will make it easier for New Jersey families to adopt children from foreign countries. It felt good,Ӕ Bonnie said about being able to watch New Jerseys chief executive carry out the duties of his office. She also said she liked having the attention of the news reporters and television cameras gathered in the Montclair Art MuseumҒs Leir Hall for the event. The other people who flanked Codey and the adopted child personified the three-year history of how New Jerseys foreign adoption law came to be. State Sen. Nia H. Gill, D-34, the primary sponsor of S-285, stood nearby, as did Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg, D-37, who advanced the companion bill, A-1992 in the state Assembly. The legislation passed unanimously in both houses in Trenton. Standing right behind Codey were the rest of Bonnie LytleҒs family: her 3-year-old sister, Jade, who also was adopted from China; their mother, Pat; and father, John, who was lauded that day as the catalyst for the new law. People like myself are leading efforts like this all over the country. It just takes a small group of dedicated people to make it happen,Ӕ John Lytle told The Times before the program began. This legislation is about family and love,Ӕ he said. In April 2002, John Lytle, a Montclair resident, contacted Gills legislative office about the adoptive familiesҒ frustrations regarding New Jerseys legal ambiguity on foreign adoptions. Through the U.S. Child Citizenship Act of 2000, the federal government recognizes the citizenship of a child adopted from a foreign nation under an IR-3 immigrant visa from the moment the plane on which the child arrives touches down. New Jersey, however, had no laws addressing foreign adoptions. Lytle was prompted to act by Kem Louie, a single adoptive mother of two children from China and a Lytle family friend who resides in Clifton. Louie was among those affected by the legislative gap. Louie tried to get a birth certificate for her daughter Amy, 8, and was told by Essex County officials that she would have to ғreadopt, or certify the adoption under state statutes. ԓNew Jersey will now recognize foreign adoptions, said Codey after signing the law making New Jersey the 30th state in the nation to coincide with the federal statute. ԓFamilies that adopt children should be celebrated and supported. They should not have to fight bureaucracy just because their adoptive child is from another country, Codey said. ԓIts a been a long process,Ҕ Louie said. It makes our childrenӅhave the self esteem that they are more normalized. Codey said that, in 2004, the majority of children adopted from other countries came from China. The statistic was reflected by many of the children who attended the signing. Cicily Berzack, who was born in China, attended with her adoptive mother, Kimberly Berzack. Karen Schloss-Diaz, a columnist for The Montclair Times, and her husband, Frank, brought their 20-month-old daughter, Lucy, who was born in China. Sebastian Keil, a 21-month-old from Russia, was among the children from other nations. He was brought to the event by his parents, Andrew and Donna. Prior to introducing Codey, Deputy Mayor Joyce Michaelson mentioned that she is soon to be a grandmother to Amelia, a child from China, who will be adopted by MichaelsonԒs daughter, Robin, and her husband, who live in New York. Once youӒve welcomed a child into your family, shes a part of it,Ҕ Michaelson said. To go through a legal process, as they are being welcomed into your home, is redundant and unnecessary.Ӕ Vince Matthews, a legislative aide to Gill, said the law went into effect upon Codeys signing, but that it would take some time for state family courts to become educated on the lawҒs provisions. Getting educated about foreign adoptions has been a requirement for everyone involved in the legislative process. If youӒre not going through it, you wouldnt know the bureaucracy and the problems,Ҕ Codey said. I learned about the issue when Nia came to us with the bill. SheӒs a good educator. Gill, a fellow resident of Montclair, thanked John Lytle for teaching her and her staff about the issue. After the signing, Gill considered where the Foreign Adoption Law ranked in the legislation she has sponsored in 10 years in the state Legislature. ԓThis ranks, for me, number one, Gill said. ԓTo work with a group for three years, and for them to keep that interest and to educate my staff and I, its phenomenal. We want to have that kind of exchange. What they really said is that the government belongs to the people.Ҕ[/font]