This email was received this morning.
..
There is a valid reason for not releasing cause of death to just anyone.
If the cause of death was genetic, then an insurance company knowing
this might deny health insurance to a descendant or a sibling.
Sarah Clevenger
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dear Listers,
Please read this information, check out the websites noted in the
article and then do your part by contacting your legislator and voicing
your opposition to this bill.
Sincerely, Darlene Anderson
Executive Director, Genealogical
Society of Marion County and
County Coordinator, Marion
County INGenWeb
This information is from the IN-GENSOC-NEWS
The electronic newsletter published by the Indiana Genealogical Society,
Volume 2, Issue 1-26 January 2005
The Indiana General Assembly is once again considering a bill that would
restrict access to birth and death records. This issue was last raised in
the spring 2003 session of the state legislature, and at the time was
defeated by a vote of 50-43, with 7 abstentions. This year's bill is House
Bill 1551 (HB 1551), and if passed it would go into effect on July 1st.
Sponsored by Representatives Peggy Welch, David Wolkins and Gregory Porter,
the bill closes access to death records less than 50 years old, and birth
records less than 75 years old. When vital records are issued, the bill
limits access to: the person listed on the record; the mother or father of
the person listed; the grandparent of the person listed, the spouse, sibling
or offspring of the person listed, or "a person conducting a genealogical
study in compliance with rules adopted by the state department".
What is troubling is that rules created by the State Department of
Health would not
be subject to legislative measures. Also troubling is another provision of
the bill, which says that the cause of death shall not be listed on a death
record given out unless the person requesting the record "proves a
documented need for the death certificate."
The Indiana Genealogical Society urges Indiana residents to contact
their legislator and voice their opposition to this bill. Contact
information is available at
<
http://www.in.gov/legislative/>. You can read the entire bill at
<
http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2005/IN/IN1551.1.html> Stay tuned for
updates.