It should make it easier to find burial information for those buried on state hospital grounds, or in state hospital cemeteries. If you have an ancestor who was unfortunate enough to die while in a state asylum/hospital before 1900, it is virtually impossible to find their burial place, unless you have a copy of the death certificate. You may then find a burial place listed... but if it says it was at a state hospital cemetery, you will most likely not see a grave, as the state only put up markers (usually wood) with a number on it... no name, nothing. All mental hospital files were made private, so you can't get any information from the state on burial site, etc. either. This bill makes it law that all state run cemeteries must be kept in good condition (not allowed to be run into the ground like they are now), and that a record of every name will have to be made available (which are to include birth, death information as would a death certificate). This will be a huge help to genealogists and researchers everywhere. It will also bring a bit of dignity to those thousands upon thousands who were unfortunate enough to be buried in unmarked graves while under the care of the state. Many other states already have these laws in effect. For more information you can go to: http://www.pai-ca.org/ Protection & Advocacy or http://www.cnmhc.org/main/ California Network of Mental Health Clients Both of these sites have more information. Marge -----Original Message----- From: Louise B. Hanson [mailto:lhanson@shasta.com] Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2002 5:19 PM To: MARGECAM@ATTBI.COM Subject: re: SB 1448 Marge, Saw your post and have read the 28 June 2002 Amended AB1448 Bill. How is the passing of this bill to affect us genealogists and how would you recommend we respond to this? Louise Redding, CA lhanson@shasta.com