Hi: I am forwarding a message from Iris Carter Jones, the legislative analyst for the CA Genealogical Alliance. This is for the California researchers on this list or those who plan to do research in California. It concerns the closure of the Califoria birth and death indexes. Note that it concerns INDEXES - not the birth and death records which already have their own rules of access. Regards, Nan Wolf [email protected] -------------Forwarded Message----------------- From: Iris Jones, INTERNET:[email protected] To: Master List 3, INTERNET:[email protected] Date: 8/18/02 1:02 PM RE: ALERT - SB1614 - AUGUST 17, 2002 ALERT AND REPORT ON SB1614 - AUGUST 17, 2002 Once again, I apologize. But our efforts to stop SB1614 have been an ongoing effort, requiring hours daily of negotiations and communication with the author's people, the Governor's people, Dept of Health's staff, other opposition leaders, legislators who agree with us and those who still 'don't get it.' The news, the offers and counter offers sometimes change daily. Amendments in writing [Always get it in writing.] seem to never be available until the eleventh hour [The night before the next hearing]. The hearings more often than not have been canceled or changed at the last minute, not allowing time for me to contact our members. To make a long story short, the last set of amendments to the bill, five pages, [which were not what we had been verbally offered], became available late Wednesday night, for the hearing scheduled at 9:00 a.m. Friday morning. I will attempt to be brief [this is not an ideal version of my great American novel]. Under the present law it requires birth and death information deemed confidential to be indexed, but remain confidential. This will still be required, and may be made available to 'any government agency, local registrar and county recorder, when requested. . [they] may not sell or release the indices or any portion of its contents to any other person except as necessary for official government business and shall not post the indices or any portion thereof on the Internet.' 'The State Registrar shall prepare and maintain separate non-comprehensive indices of all California birth and death records for public release.' Birth indices will include first, middle, and last name, sex, date of birth, and place of birth. The death indices will include first, middle and last name, sex, date of birth, place of birth, place of death, date of death, and the father's 'last' name. You will have to sign a affidavit of intent under penalty of perjury. Not only will the MOTHER'S GIVEN OR MAIDEN NAME NOT BE INCLUDED ON THE BIRTH OR DEATH RECORDS, the FATHER'S NAME IS NOT LISTED TO APPEAR ON THE BIRTH RECORDS. As I see it, their 'non-comprehensive' index virtually becomes useless. Last requires an index that would allow, under a long list of restrictions [including not to be posted on the Internet] for the purpose of preventing fraud, may be purchased by financial institutions and government agencies [this is aimed at the opposition by the bankers and financial institutions] and will include the mother and father's surnames. These were the amendments in brief. The public indices will be available for purchase some time in the future. The one good thing that has occurred since the bill was first written, is that the indices already sold will not be affected, the BILL IS NOT RETROACTIVE. But all future indexes will NOT include the mother's or father's name on the birth index and not the mother's name or social security number on the death index. Even with these amendments no opposition groups changed their minds. But at the Hearing on the 16th three additional amendments were offered [not yet in writing, I cannot quote them]. But when the author's aide offered to allow 'controlled' Internet access to the 'non-comprehensive' indices, the Family History Library and Federation of Genealogical Societies opted to withdraw their opposition. They feel that it was wiser to save a portion of the indexes rather than lose them all. The African American Genealogical Society of Northern California also withdrew their opposition. I believe that the California Bankers Associations did too. I did not withdraw the California State Genealogical Alliance or the Genealogical & Historical Council of Sacramento Valley's opposition. President Sheila Benedict who is still in Maryland, agreed that we should continue to oppose. Considering our Mission Statement, it has been our premise that as representatives of the genealogical & historical community, it is our duty to represent the entire membership including, individual,hobbyists, professionals, adoptees and our member organizations. Even with the amendments that were offered and voted on Friday, opposition to the bill remains. As researchers, we all know how difficult it is to find mother's maiden names. Once they are removed from these indexes they will be lost to researchers, adoptees, children and grandchildren of adoptees, and children and grandchildren of those with amended birth certificates. Consider also, in light of the many single mothers, married mothers who maintain only their maiden names, or couples who never marry, these names, too, will not appear in any indexes for research by future genealogists, family health historians or for the general public. With the withdrawal of the F.G.S. and F.H.L., legislators may not realize that they do not represent the genealogical community of California. Let us make sure the legislators do. PRESIDENTS OR BOARD MEMBERS WRITE YOUR LETTER STATING YOUR ORGANIZATIONS FORMAL OPPOSITION ON SB1614 AND THAT YOU WANT TO BE ADDED TO THE LIST OF OPPONENTS. Send a copy to your district representative, the Committee Chair, the Committee Council, the author and the Governor. I will include the committee member list below. Regional Directors should do the same for their regions. NUMBERS ARE THE ONLY THING THAT WILL MAKE THEM TAKE NOTICE. Let them know that it is not just the umbrella organizations like the CSGA or the Council that oppose this, it is the GENEALOGISTS OF CALIFORNIA that oppose it. Be sure that the members of the Assembly Appropriations know we are out here and opposed to SB1614. INDIVIDUALS SHOULD WRITE THEIR LETTERS OF OPPOSITION to their district representative. If you can call or make personal contact as a constituent this will help make them aware of our opposition. If you have friends in high places, contact them, ask for their help. It is obvious that the Governor and the author are bent on seeing this bill pass in spite of the fact that it will do nothing to prevent identity theft. The only chance we have now is to make OUR VOICE HEARD AND OUR NUMBERS COUNT. We need to convince the members of the committee and those on the floor of the Assembly, who could if the bill passes the Committee, hear it for a vote as early as Thursday, know how IMPORTANT PRESERVING OUR PUBLIC RECORDS FOR HISTORICAL AND HEALTH REASONS TO THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA. The Assembly Appropriations Committee Hearing is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 21, 2002, 9 a.m. in Room 4202. ----Iris Carter Jones, Legislative Network, 17 August 2002. ***ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE CONTACT INFORMATION: California State Assembly Appropriations Committee State Capitol, Room 2114 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2081/Fax: (916) 319-2181 Darrell Steinberg, Chair D-9th District State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2009/Fax: (916) 319-2109 E-mail: [email protected] Patricia Bates, Vice-Chair R-73rd District State Capitol, Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2073/Fax: (916) 319-2173 E-mail: [email protected] Abel Maldonado R-33rd District State Capitol, Room 4015 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2033/Fax: (916) 319-2133 E-mail: [email protected] Charlene Zettel R-75th District State Capitol, Room 5164 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2075/Fax: (916) 319-2175 Email: [email protected] Roy Ashburn R- 32nd District State Capitol, Room 4167 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2032/Fax: (916) 319-2132 E-mail: [email protected] Robert Pacheco R- 60th District State Capitol, Room 4177 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2060/Fax: (916) 319-2160 E-mail: [email protected] Lynn Daucher R - 72nd District State Capitol, Room 2111 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2072/Fax: (916) 319-2172 E-mail: [email protected] George Runner R - 36th District State Capitol, Room 6027 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2036/Fax: (916) 319-2136 E-mail: [email protected] Carl Washington D - 52nd District State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2052/Fax: (916) 319-2152 E-mail: [email protected] Lou Correa D - 69th District State Capitol, Room 6025, Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2069/Fax: (916) 319-2169 E-mail: [email protected] Patricia Wiggins D - 7th District State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2007/Fax: (916) 319-2107 E-mail: [email protected] Lou Papan D - 19th District P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2019/Fax: (916) 319-2119 E-mail: [email protected] Fran Pavley R - 60th District State Capitol, Room 5144 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2041/Fax: (916) 319-2141 E-mail: [email protected] Dion Aroner D - 14th District State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2014/Fax: (916) 319-2114 E-mail: [email protected] Elaine Alquist D - 22nd District State Capitol, Suite 3120 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-319-2022/Fax: 916-319-2122 E-mail: [email protected] Rebecca Cohn D - 24th District State Capitol, Room 2137 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2024/Fax: (916) 319-2124 E-mail: [email protected] Manny Diaz D - 23rd District State Capitol, Room 2170 P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0023 Phone: (916) 319-2023/Fax: (916) 319-2123 E-mail: [email protected] Joe Simitian D - 21st District State Capitol, Room 5119 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2021/Fax: (916) 319-2121 E-mail: [email protected] Ellen M. Corbett D - 18th District State Capitol, Room 4126 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2018/Fax: (916) 319-2118 E-mail: [email protected] Jackie Goldberg D -25th District State Capitol, Room 5155 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2045/Fax: (916) 319-2145 E-mail: [email protected] Gloria Negrete McLeod D - 65h District State Capitol, Room 5175 Sacramento, CA 94249 Phone: (916)319-2061/Fax: (916) 319-2161 E-mail: [email protected] Marco Antonio Firebaugh D - 50th District P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2050/Fax: (916) 319-2150 E-mail: [email protected] Rod Wright D - 48th District State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2048 E-mail: [email protected] Senator Jackie Speier State Capitol, Room 2032 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 445-0503/Fax (916) 327-2186 E-mail: [email protected] Governor Gray Davis State Capitol Bldg. Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 445-2841/Fax: (916)445-4633 RAPID E-MAIL CUT-N-PASTE: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] ----------------------- Internet Header -------------------------------- Sender: [email protected] Received: from bvnsrv8.bvn.net (ns4.modesto.net [209.60.252.8]) by siaag2ae.compuserve.com (8.9.3/8.9.3/SUN-1.14) with ESMTP id QAA04758 for <[email protected]>; Sun, 18 Aug 2002 16:02:29 -0400 (EDT) Received: from unknown (unverified [66.242.171.51]) by bvnsrv8.bvn.net (Rockliffe SMTPRA 4.5.6) with SMTP id <[email protected]>; Sun, 18 Aug 2002 13:00:34 -0700 From: Iris Jones <[email protected]> To: Master List 1 <[email protected]>, Master List 2 <[email protected]>, Master List 3 <[email protected]> Subject: ALERT - SB1614 - AUGUST 17, 2002 Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2002 13:00:20 -0700 Message-ID: <[email protected]> X-Mailer: Forte Agent 1.8/32.548 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable