-----Original Message-----
From: Darburns(a)aol.com [mailto:Darburns@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 7:30 PM
To: INELKHAR-admin(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: Indiana General Assembly and Access to Indiana Birth and Death
Records
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.