State Rep. Charles Ferraro (D-117) is backing legislation, House Bill 5408, this session to help individuals adopted prior to 1983, and their adult children or grandchildren, obtain an uncertified copy of an original certificate of birth.
Ferraro expressed his support for the bill in written testimony telling a very personal story about his own life. Ferraro explained that he grew up with his mother and stepfather, but his biological father was out of the picture.
“I know first-hand the frustrations of not knowing who I truly am, who my father was and who an entire half of my family ancestry was,” Rep. Ferraro stated in the testimony. “It wasn’t until I had graduated from college did I have the opportunity to meet my biological father.”
After meeting his biological father, Ferraro said he fully understood his mother’s reasons for her not wanting to associate with my biological father, but was left with the feeling that he had been cheated all these years.
Ferraro explained that when his biological father passed away, he decided to go to his funeral. He thought it was time that he should meet the rest of his family.
“I was surprised how quickly they accepted me and told me about the stories that he would tell of how he, out of respect for my mother’s wishe, stayed away from me but that he would go to my high school basketball games to watch me without me knowing he was there,” Ferraro said. “I think how sad that we never had the opportunity to get to know each other. I also think back of all the times I answered medical questions on medical applications about family history and could not answer the questions for lack of knowing who my father was nor anything about his medical history.”
Rep. Ferraro testified knowing who one is important to everyone.
“Every human being has a right to know who they are and from which they came. Having access to their original Birth Certificate simply rights an injustice that should never have occurred in the first place,” he said.
HB 5408 now awaits action from the Judiciary. Ferraro encourages residents to submit written testimony to the Judiciary Committee at judtestimony@cga.ct.gov and to copy him on the email Charles.Ferraro@housegop.ct.gov.