Dear WI Researchers,
This is a matter of concern for all of us. Please take a moment to write to
the state legislators - even if you're from out-of-state (you can help us,
because it affects you, too!).
Roxanne
Legislative Alert: Please write your State legislators on Assembly Bill 831
which increases birth certificate fees. The authors of the bill are
Representatives Kestell & Seidel and Senators Olson and Miller. This link
will take you to the page that will give you the names and e-mail addresses
for your representatives HYPERLINK
"http://165.189.139.210/WAML//"http://165.189.139.210/WAML// You can read
the bill at HYPERLINK
"http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB-831.pdf"http://www.legis.state.wi
.us/2005/data/AB-831.pdf
Get others involved too.
The bill increases the fee for a certified or uncertified birth certificate
from $12 to $15 and from $3 to $4 for additional copies issued at the same
time. At the present time $7 of the $12 is sent to the state to be used by
Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board for the expenses of the Early
Childhood Education Center grant program, and grants to organizations for
services related to child abuse and neglect. The bill increases the amount
going to the state from $7 to $9 and then increases it to $10 after July 1,
2010.
Our objection to this bill is that this is a user fee program but
genealogists who order the uncertified birth certificates of their parents
or grandparents have no relationship to the fee charged. It can be argued
that by having a child, parents might be responsible for child abuse or
neglect of that child. It is hard to argue convincingly that child abuse
will occur to people who are no longer children.
The Assembly will be back in session December 6 through 15 on Tuesday
through Thursdays for this year. You can go to the WSGS website < HYPERLINK
"http://www.wsgs.org"http://www.wsgs.org > for updates. I suggest we write
our legislators first along with the authors of the bill. This is the e-mail
link for the Assembly HYPERLINK
"http://www.legis.state.wi.us/leginfo/asmmail.asp"http://www.legis.state.wi.
us/leginfo/asmmail.asp This is the Senate e-mail link HYPERLINK
"http://www.legis.state.wi.us/leginfo/senmail.asp"http://www.legis.state.wi.
us/leginfo/senmail.asp
The bill has a fiscal note so it will need to go to the Joint Committee on
Finance before it can be voted on. The bill is definitely on a fast track
because it was introduced on Nov. 14th and the committee hearing was Nov.
17th.
Pam Anderson
WSGS Advocacy Chair
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