Folks,
I thought this Boone, IA, message bore repeating.
However, I fail to see where it pertains to "inspection" of public records,
only copies.
Did I miss something?
Does "access" restrict one from researching died-off lines where there ARE
no descendants? (Such as my Boone Co., great uncle, the last of whose
descendants died off in Pottawattamie County in 1929?)
I'm writing, and I hope we all do.
Dick Kinkead
Lantana, FL
----- Original Message -----
From: "Andy or Annie Utick" <autick(a)mt.net>
To: <IABOONE-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2004 7:02 PM
Subject: [IABOONE] About HR10 - Provisions restricting our access to birth
records
Hello, fellow researchers,
I've recently learned of a bill moving swiftly through the U. S.
House of Representatives that would severely restrict our access to birth
records, even those kept by counties and states, in the name of
"security." We genealogists (and any other citizens) would have access
only if we are the "registrant" (it's our own record), or are named in the
document. If we don't meet those criteria, we would have to meet "minimum
standards for issuance of a birth certificate to specific family members,
their authorized representatives, and others who demonstrate that the
certificate is needed for the protection of the requestor's personal or
property rights."
You might be interested in reading the actual language of this
bill. It can be found at
http://thomas.loc.gov./ Put in the number of the
bill (HR10) on the home page, where it says "Bill Number." Once on the
page where the bill starts, find the part about birth records using "Find
on this page."
It is my understanding that David Rencher, Chairman of the Record
Access and Preservation Committee, a joint committee of the National
Genealogical Society and Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS), has
sent a letter to the bill's sponsor, Congressman Dennis Hastert,
recommending an amendment to the bill as follows:
"However, nothing in this Chapter 2 shall be construed to require a State
to change its law with respect to public access to (A) non-certified
copies of birth certificates, or to (B) birth certificates or birth
records once a period of 100 years has elapsed from the date of creation
of the certificate or record."
A copy of the entire letter is available on the FGS site at
www.fgs.org/rpa/formalactions.htm.
Because this bill is moving toward passage so quickly, it is urged
that the genealogical community take action immediately and let their
representatives know that they are in support of David Rencher's proposed
amendment and the FGS position in this important matter. To find your
state representative's contact information, go to:
www.house.gov/writerep/
==== IABOONE Mailing List ====
Visit the Boone County IAGenWeb message boards at
http://iagenweb.org/boards/boone/queries/index.cgi. View or post Queries,
Obits,
Biographies and other genealogical Documents.