Amendment may impact fathers’ rights
By Jen Handaii
Staff Reporter
State legislators spent most of the
day Tuesday discussing the fate of an
amendment that would establish a
registry for biological parents.
The amendment, sponsored by
Sen. Gerald Matzke of Sidney, also
modified an earlier amendment from
Sen. Elaine Stuhr of Bradshaw.
Stuhr’ s amendment, co-sponsored
by Matzke and Sen. Don Wesely of
Lincoln, would provide for notifica
tion of the biological father when a
child bom out of wedlock is put up
for adoption.
Stuhr supported Matzke’s amend
ment, which replaced hers after pass
ing on a 26-0 vote. Debate over the
revised amendment’s fate continued
after that, with a number of other
senators entering into the discussion.
Matzke answered a variety of ques
tions from other senators and ex
plained the basic aspects of the legis
lation.
He said that, under the proposed
bill, the biological father would re
ceive notice either through the mail
or, if his address was unknown by the
mother, through the publication of
the proposed adoption in local news
papers.
Following the notification, the
father would have five days to reply
with an intention to pursue custody
of the child. If a reply is not received
within that five-day period, the fa
ther will have relinquished his paren
tal rights.
Matzke said the time limit on pa
rental notification was designed to
protect children from fathers who
sought to remove them from adop
tive homes.
“We want the father to take re
sponsibility and make his mind up
before that child becomes a part of
another family,” Matzke said. “We
want him to have his rights, but we
want him to decide upon those rights
before it will disrupt the life of the
child.”
Discussion continued over a pro
vision that would allow the biologi
cal mother to take her child back if
the father were to attempt to obtain
custody.
Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha
rose in opposition to that provision,
saying it worked against the rights of
the biological father.
Keeping the father as far away
from the child as possible was the
primary intention of such laws, Cham
bers said. He said such methods forced
children in and out of temporary
homes, serving only to make sure the
child was adopted rather than given
to the natural parents.
“I see this as a stratagem to help
those agencies and to keep this ball
bouncing,” he said.
Referring to both private and reli
gious adoption agencies as “baby
peddlers,” Chambers attacked both
the financial aspects of adoption and
the attitudes of his fellow legislators.
“In their campaigns, everyone
talks about family values and the
strength of the family unit,” he said,
“But I don’t see concern for the child
in any of these discussions.”
Chambers also introduced an
amendment that would give a bio
logical mother who has signed an
agreement to relinquish her child 90
days to change her mind.
Under Nebraska law, relinquish
ment agreements are irrevocable,
unless die biological mother proves
she made her decision under duress.
Chambers said 90 days would give
the mother opportunity to reflect on
her decision.
Senators who opposed Chambers’
amendment said a woman had nine
months to decide on adoption.
Lengthening the decision-making
period would only add to the mother’s
anxiety and would not affect her de
cision, they said.
Sen. David Bemard-Stevens of
North Platte tried to compromise by
offering an amendment to change the
time period allowed from 90 days to
14, but the amendment failed.
No action was taken on Cham
bers’ amendment.
Staff Reporter John Fulwlder contrib
uted to this report
NU provost
withdraws from
presidency race
From The Associated Press
The University of Nebraska ex
ecutive vice president and provost
withdrew Tuesday from consideration
for the presidency of Bowling Green
State University, a university spokes
man said.
Joe Rowson, NU spokesman, said
provost LeevB. Jones, one of two
finalists, did not give a reason for his
decision to withdraw.
The other finalist for the post was
Sidney Ribeau, vice president for
academic affairs at California State
Polytechnic University.
Current Bowling Green President
Paul Olscamp will step down at the
end of June.
Bowling Green is a university with
16,600 students located in Bowling
Green, Ohio.
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