I just recieved this from the State Archives contact, I am waiting to hear from her about the date of this hearing. I will be driving up (if it's not today) and I live in Lodi, CA. If the date is in the next month, would anyone want to attend? I would like a list of those who want to attend, and if you definately plan to go.. (after we get confirmed date). If you are near me in Lodi, willing to carpool in my car.. can take 4 people, possibly 5... let me know. Looks like an all day event... We could bring lunch, or potluck, or McDonalds? Perfect opportunity to voice our concerns on this matter. Marge ----- Original Message ----- From: "Troka, Genevieve" <GTroka@ss.ca.gov> To: "'Margie'" <margecam@pacbell.net> Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2001 10:50 AM Subject: RE: Archives Web Form - Stockton State Hospital Cemetery/Burial r ecords Thank you for conveying your concerns about the accessibility of records pertaining to the burial/cremation of state mental hospital patients. We have considered similar requests from some of the people who share your interest in preserving historic cemeteries. Our position has been that access to all > patient records is very strictly limited by Welfare and > Institutions Code section 5328 and a review of the exceptions made to that > code section yields only two possible avenues for bypassing those > restrictions: a court order or an official request from the Senate or > Assembly Rules Committee as part of a legislative investigation. I thought you might be interested in knowing, if you don't already, about an upcoming hearing on this subject being held by a select committee of the State Senate. This would seem like an excellent opportunity to give voice to some of the issues you've raised: SELECT COMMITTEE ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND MENTAL HEALTH CHESBRO, Chair 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Napa State Hospital Gymnasium 2100 Napa-Vallejo Highway, Napa SUBJECT: Staff Recruitment and Retention Challenges at Napa State Hospital. SELECT COMMITTEE ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND MENTAL HEALTH CHESBRO, Chair 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Napa State Hospital Gymnasium 2100 Napa-Vallejo Highway, Napa SUBJECT: Historical Use of graveyards at State Hospitals and Developmental Centers. > > > > Perhaps one of the outcomes of this hearing will be legislation to clarify existing laws regarding patient and cemetery records as well as draw attention to the condition of historic cemeteries in California. > > > > > > > I hope this information is helpful. Please feel free to > contact > > us > > > again > > > if > > > > we can be of additional assistance. Genevieve Troka California State Archives 1020 "O" Street Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 653-7715 ---------- From: Margie [SMTP:margecam@pacbell.net] Sent: Friday, October 26, 2001 10:17 PM To: Troka, Genevieve Subject: Re: Archives Web Form - Stockton State Hospital Cemetery/Burial r ecords Unfortunatley, the information is deemed public record.. All who were buried in the State Hospital Cemetery are in a public cemetery, and the records of who is buried there, by law is a public record, and the public must have access. The fact that the State did not keep the records seperate, as they should have done, is not the issue. The issue is that all public cemetery burial information is to be made public. By the information we have, the cemetery (per state officials in 1955) was never abandoned, so is still a public cemetery, containing 3,500 bodies. Someone needs to seperate the public burial information & make it public as the law states. Marge http://www.rootsweb.com/~moiron2 Iron County MO Web Page http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/home.htm Margie Campbell's Original Web Page http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/ Margie Campbell's NEW Site (under construction) HERMES surname maillist host WENSTRÖM surname maillist host ----- Original Message ----- From: "Troka, Genevieve" <GTroka@ss.ca.gov> To: <margecam@pacbell.net> Sent: Friday, October 26, 2001 5:13 PM Subject: RE: Archives Web Form - Stockton State Hospital Cemetery/Burial r ecords > > > > > Thank you for your recent e-mail requesting information about > > > > records of Stockton State Hospital > > > > patients. > > > > Unfortunately, > we are prohibited by California Welfare and Institutions > > Code > > > > section > > > > 5328 from releasing any information about patients. The code > > > > section does > > > > include some exceptions, but general historical > research is not one > of > > > them. If > > > you > > > > wish to read this > law you can find it on the following web > site: > http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html <http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html> > > > The State Archives would like > to see the California Public Records Act and > related laws amended to place a time limit > on access restrictions so that > records about individuals who > are no longer alive would be open to the > public. At this time, however, no such time limit on restrictions exists. > > > > > > > > > I hope this information is helpful. Please feel free to > > contact > > us > > > again > > > if > > > > we can be of additional > assistance. > > Genevieve Troka > California State Archives > 1020 "O" Street > Sacramento, CA 95814 > (916) 653-7715 > > > > ---------- > From: margecam@pacbell.net [SMTP:margecam@pacbell.net] > Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2001 1:16 PM > To: State Archives > Subject: Archives Web Form - Stockton State Hospital > Cemetery/Burial records > > Customer's Message ***************************** > I am still working with the State, county & city of Stockton on > getting the burial/death/cemetery records released from the State Hospital > records. > All the above should by now have a copy of a letter written by Mr. > Joseph Holt, who was aware of the dealings that took place to get the zoning > changed on this old cemetery. Joe states in his letter that in a matter of > hours in Judge Buck's chambers, they had successfully removed all 3,500+ > bodies to a common grave. This cemetery has never been abandonded, is a > public cemetery, abused and all but forgotten. Only 1.39 of the original 5 > (5 of 15 acres used as cemetery) cemetery acres is left unimproved. I > continue to get requests for burial information for people who are most > likely buried at the old State Hospital Cemetery on California street in > Stockton. > I requested the records months ago, and was assured someone was > working on it and would get back to me. Really a good time to do this, as I > am off work for now.. so have a bit of time to meet with anyone who would > like to discuss the matter. I live in Lodi, CA & go to Stockton often. > Please Call me on my cell phone (209) 603-0224 and leave a message, > or at home after 3pm at 209/339-4164 (day sleeper). Web address > http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mcampbel/Calif/ > I am working on a State Hospital web page.. it is very basic at > moment, but will improve as I have time to work on it. > The page has photos of the site as it is today. > Please let me know via email or phone what is happening on release > of the death/Burial records that, by law, should be public records. > I am willing to take my own time to make copies of the records, and > am willing to pay for them if need be. I would also be willing to black out > & have your offices inspect the copies, any information not deemed public > cemetery informaiton (basically, any death certificate information is public > record information that most cemeteries get). I would like this information > to be given to Rural Cemetery (due east of the old State Hospital Cemetery > property), with a copy going to the San Joaquin Historical & Genealogical > societies. > I do not intend putting these records on the internet, just want > them in the hands of a public place (Rural Cemetery is perfect), so that > those looking can find them. > Thanks, Marge Campbell > Lodi, CA > ************************************************ > > customer_name -- Margie Campbell > > street_address -- 1414 Vista Dr > > city -- Lodi > > state -- CA > > zip_code -- 95242 > > area_code -- 209 > > telephone_number -- 603-0224 > > where_did_you_hear -- NORCAL mailing list, City of Stockton > > section_liked -- Have not evaluated the site yet > > > > Customer's Web browser - Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 5.5; Windows > 98). > Form was accessed from Web page http://webdev/archives/archives.htm. >