ok... sometimes I feel so dumb...I give in what is FOIA? I wasn't going to ask, hoping someone would ask..guess I am the only one that doesn't know what it stands for... Wilma Fleming Haynes gencon@harborside.com ----- Original Message ----- From: Lynn Brandvold <lynn@gis.nmt.edu> To: <GEN-NYS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 1999 8:36 PM Subject: FOIA > Hi GEN-NYers, > > I received the message below. Does anyone know the answer? I hadn't > thought about it before but Valerie is right, it does sound illogical. > > Lynn > > > > Dear Lynn > > > > I have used the FOIA to obtain records of people listed in the Social > > Security death benefits list and have found only one problem with the > > process -- that it is very slow. However, in New York State, there are > > particular state laws preventing non-direct descendants from obtaining > > vital records of a person before a certain number of years, a number > > that changes depending on the type of record and whether the person is > > alive. > > > > My question is: Does the Committee for Open Government in Albany intend > > FOIA to override these privacy laws? It seems odd that I can find out > > birth/parent details on someone who died in 1999 if I write to the > > Frederal Govt., but I have to wait for 50 years according to NYS > > regulations. All it means to genealogists is that there is a period of > > time that precedes the SS list of people but that is closed to easy > > research because it falls into the privacy category. It all seems > > illogical. > > > > Valerie Clift > > > ==== GEN-NYS Mailing List ==== > Have you considered joining the Rootsweb Genealogical Data > Cooperative? > http://www.rootsweb.com/ > >