[tri-wings] Re: Governor of New Mexico & MISSing Angels Bill

I sent an email. I could only access it through the second link. Thanks for
pointing this out Corinne. I know that without a birth certificate, you
cannot get a social security card, without that social security card, you
cannot claim the child as a dependent. In other words, families have
expenses, medical and funeral and cannot get a deduction for the child on
their taxes, without the birth certificate. Unless I am mistaken, and there
is a loophole I do not know about. 

Important issue!!

Bess

-----Original Message-----
From: tri-wings-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tri-wings-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Corinne O'Flynn
Sent: Saturday, April 07, 2007 11:28 PM
To: tri-wings@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tri-wings] Governor of New Mexico & MISSing Angels Bill

Hello folks,

For those of you who missed the recent issue of People Magazine, there was a
nice spread about the MISSing Angels Bill legislation, in support of a birth
certificate for parents of children who are stillborn.  

I am sorry for the long email, but I think this is an important issue.  Some
of you may be aware of the movement that is sweeping across the nation being
spearheaded by the MISS Foundation.  It is called the MISSing Angels Bill,
and it is aimed at having legislation passed in every state to provide
parents of children who are stillborn with a legal Birth Certificate for
their child.  Two dear friends of mine here in CO are responsible for
getting the bill passed for our state, and I can tell you without a degree
of doubt that it has impacted parents of stillborn babies is so many
positive ways.  It is incredible, when you think about it, that you can get
a death certificate, but in many states you cannot get a birth certificate
for a stillborn child.

I wanted to share this with you with the hope that you will take a minute to
speak out to the Governor of NM, who is making his bid for the Presidency.
You don't have to live in NM to make your voice heard!  

Here is today's press release sent out by the folks at MISS, followed by the
response that I sent, please feel free to copy and paste the content of my
response letter, as much of it was provided as a sample letter from MISS.

If you got this far, thanks for your time!  :)

Best to you all,
Corinne
Rowan's mom
12/17-18/1999 (Full T18)

************************************************************************
Press Release Begins Here
************************************************************************

Dear MISS Foundation members,
Please read the below information, very important, regarding presidential
hopeful, Governor Bill Richardson.

Please read below- then email AND call ASAP, expressing your OUTRAGE!
Email from this page:
http://www.governor.state.nm.us/emailchoice.php?mm=6
and this page:
http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/page/s/contact

Tell him he will NOT get your vote!

Then call his office (505) 476-2200
and tell him he's offended bereaved women and men and children across the
nation. Tell him we stand against him until he calls a special session to
sign this bill!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   CONTACT: Joanne Cacciatore, PhD Candidate,
MSW, CEO MISS Foundation   602 574 1000

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson Stuns Tens-of Thousands of Bereaved
Parents and Vetoes the MISSing Angels Bill Parents nationwide outraged at
indifference and ignorance!

Albuquerque, NM. (April 7, 2007)--- Just last month, the New Mexico MISSing
Angels Bill (SB17), passed the New Mexico legislature with unanimous,
bipartisan support. Yet, today, April 7, 2007, presidential hopeful and
Governor Bill Richardson vetoed this important piece of legislation, making
New Mexico the first of nearly 30 states to reject the will of its citizens
and legislators regarding the way in which the birth of a stillborn baby is
recognized and recorded. 

The MISSing Angels Bill (SB17) was created to help provide much-needed
comfort, dignity, and legal documentation to women and their families
experiencing the death of a baby just prior to or during birth. Currently,
New Mexico law requires reporting of stillbirth/fetal deaths and demands
that families pay funeral costs for their deceased baby, yet provides no
acknowledgement that the baby was born.  "It's an unthinkable tragedy," says
Carin Dhouadi, New Mexico resident and constituent. "I gave birth to a full
term baby who died, and the state says I must bury her. But they won't say
she was born? How can you die if you never were?"

Joanne Cacciatore, CEO of the MISS Foundation and a PhD Candidate who
studies stillbirth, passed the first bill in Arizona in 2001, and has worked
to pass it in other states since. She says that families around the nation
are outraged at Richardson's move.  "Richardson has just flippantly driven a
stake through the heart of this legislation that addresses the ultimate
woman's issue.Women give birth. And their babies- about one in 100- are
dying as a result of stillbirth. He's perpetuating the ignorance," she says.
  
The change might not seem significant to many. However, to those who have
experienced the anguish of losing a baby - SB17 is an important step in
allowing grieving parents the same respect given to the woman leaving the
hospital with a healthy infant in her arms. "This bill had support from
everyone, including pro-choice legislators like Representatives Gail Chasey
and Mimi Stewart, who understand this as an important woman's issue," said
Halo Golden, volunteer lobbyist for the NM bill and the mother of a
stillborn baby. Richard Olsen of the National Stillbirth Society believes
that this move was 'political pandering', stating that the "governor's veto
is an insensitive act that marginalizes women and ignores the interests of
his own constituents in favor of his presidential aspirations."  

Cacciatore agrees, saying, "Richardson just vetoed a critical woman's issue,
for no sound reason, and with unilateral authority.Is this the type of
person we can trust to represent women's interests across America?
Richardson won't get the votes of hundreds of thousands of our grieving
parents across the country.The vetoing of this bill is a ham handed
misjudgment on the governor's part." 

    "He clearly doesn't understand this bill, and didn't take the time
to inform himself. It's shameful.  He's slapped grieving mothers and father
in the face, not just in New Mexico, but across the country," says Daryl
Logullo, National Legislative Liaison for the MISS Foundation. "He owes
them, and the people of the state, an immediate apology and a commitment to
this important law that parents dearly want."

Approximately 30,000 babies are stillborn each year in the United States.
The cause of death for more than half the number of full-term (40-week)
stillbirths is unknown, even after autopsy.

    The MISS Foundation and the National Stillbirth Society are getting
ready to launch an awareness campaign targeted at educating the governor so
he wholly understands the issue. The organizations are also calling for the
governor to request a special session to address it and issue an apology to
bereaved parents whose babies were stillborn. For more information on the
MISSing Angels Bill visit www.missingangelsbill.org or
www.missfoundation.org.
-30-
************************************************************************
MY REPLY BEGINS HERE
************************************************************************

Dear Gov Richardson,  

Your website says you are running for President.  I must say you have
managed to alienate a gigantic portion of your potential constituents with
your recent vote!

On behalf of more than 50,000 bereaved parents who are members of the MISS
Foundation, we are shocked and outraged at Governor Richardson's veto of
SB17, the MISSing Angels Bill.  Nearly 30 states have enacted similar
legislation and you are the first governor to make such a hasty and
uniformed move against the ultimate woman's issue- the birth of a dead baby.
You have managed to alienate and infuriate grieving mothers around the
world, and you have done a tremendous disservice to grieving women and their
families. We expect you to inform yourself about this bill, issue an apology
to our thousands of grieving families immediately, and call a special
session to overturn your veto and sign this bill. 
 
We offered to provide any information, but your staff refused meetings
repeatedly.  Our education and awareness campaign has now launched across
the country, in all 75 of our chapters, and we are actively alerting the
media and doing interviews. 
 
This was a gross and misguided decision, Gov Richardson. It is a slap in the
face of grieving mothers and fathers around the country.  We demand that you
make this right. More than 30,000 families per year are affected by the
tragic and untimely death of a baby to stillbirth, most at or near full
term.  You have done them a great disservice. 
 
Sincerely,
Corinne O'Flynn
MISS Foundation - Parker, CO
Group Facilitator

_____________________________
Corinne O'Flynn, Executive Director
Rowan Tree Foundation
PO Box 393
Parker, CO 80134
(303) 378-4300

www.rowantreefoundation.org

*************************************************************************


                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

Other related posts: