Cross-posted from the genealogy librarians list: Legislation affecting genealogical research pending in West Virginia: West Virginia Legislature is considering bill that revamps Vital Registration Office, and would close death, fetal death, marriage, divorce and annulment records for 50 years; births for 100 years. Gives state registrar control over all vital records held by local and state agencies, not just those previously held by state Health Dept. (Have no idea of the implications for all the GSU/LDS microfilm out in the world held by non-governmental agencies.) When similar legislation was proposed last year, we were given to understand we would no longer be allowed to give public access to county records on microfilm that contained even one "closed" record. This means that unless we choose to make all these rolls of microfilm unavailable, staff would have to look up and print off any "open" records requested off reels with "closed" records on them. Nightmare!! Last year's bill was killed suddenly with no explanation at the last minute. Given that someone probably has been working out the technicalities on this legislation during the course of the year since, I'd say this one will probably pass. Chief impetus seems to be compliance with Homeland Security edicts, including provisions to cross-match and mark birth certificates with death certificates, and to be able to share this information with other states. When the West Virginia Vital Research Records project went online, we saw signs of things to come. While the State Archives at the present time is allowed to sell copies of state death certificates up through 1973, and state birth and delayed birth certificates up through 1929, when the decision was made to place some of these records on line in 2005, the cut off for death certificates was 50 years, and no state birth records were included. County birth records from the initial counties placed online go up to the point at which those counties' record were microfilmed in the 1960's-1970, but future records will be added only after passing the 100 year mark. Susan Scouras Librarian WV Archives and History Library The Cultural Center 1900 Kanawha Blvd. East Charleston, WV 25305-0300 (304) 558-0230, Ext. 742