Thought this message might be relevant and of interest to those of us with Texas roots. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Wednesday, April 21, 1999 4:38 PM Subject: [KEENER-L] TEXANS NEED YOU TO CALL YOUR REPRESENATIVES- URGENT! >EXPERT GENEALOGY >Editor: Jeannette Holland Austin > >Series: Vital Records >Subject: New Texas Legislation >Date: April 21, 1999 > >Last week I posted the wrong address for the FHC. The >correct address for the Family History Center Online is - >http://32.96.111.13/default.asp > >Here is an email message from Mic Barnett concerning Texas >Vital Records: > >HI Fellow Genealogists: > > In case you have not heard there is a bill in the Texas > Legislature that might close the indexes to death and birth > records in Texas for 25 and 50 years, respectfully. > > My column on Saturday April 24 will state most of what we > know about the bill at this time. The column is already on > my website at http://barnettesbooks.com Just click on read > the columns. Scroll down and click on April 24. > > The column was submitted this morning for a Saturday > publication date. Since being notified of this bill by > Tommy Burns of Houston, I have found out only a little bit > more. > > Supposedly, the bill was submitted to clarify the current > law. The intent of the bill was to clarify the existing law > and help open birth and death indexes in counties where the > county clerk felt they were closed (At the same time, other > county clerks felt the indexes were open). While in > committee an amendment was placed on the bill stating the > indexes would become open and public when the actual > records (birth and death records) became open and public. > According to the amendment the indexes would be closed for > 25-50 years until the records themselves are public. > > The HB 836 passed the Public Health Committee in the State > House of Representatives on March 30. It was referred to > the Senate State Affairs Committee. As of today, the bill > does not have a Senate sponsor. If we cause enough rancor, > it is possible no one will take on the sponsorship of the > bill and it will die in committee. On the otherhand, if a > sponsor is found, we want to be on record requesting a > hearing. At that hearing, we would need to flood the room > with genealogists and other concerned citizens. While a law > clarifying the present confusing law might be welcome, > amendment on HB 836 closes the birth and death indexes > until the actual records become public which is 25-50 > years. > > .Monday night I contacted Jack Brissee, Chair of the > FGS/NGS Records Preservation and Access Committee. Jack and > his committee work with genealogists and other > organizations all over the country when records are > threatened with closure or misuse. He jumped on it and has > faxed a letter to the Chair of the Senate State Affairs > Committee. He has urged everyone to contact all > genealogists, genealogical, historical and other concerned > organizations to write a calm, collected, but, concerned > letter to the Chair of the Senate Affairs Committee and to > our own Senator concerning this bill. > > The Honorable Florence Shapiro > Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs > P.O.Box 12068 > Capital Station > Austin, TX 78711 > > > Another bill in the legislature each of you should be aware > of is HB13. This bill seeks to allow adoptees to obtain > their original birth certificate upon reaching the age of > 21. HB13 has met with the hostility of child placement > services and birth mothers. Currently it is held up in > committee where it may die. Part of the HB 13 awareness may > have had some effect on HB 836 because both have to do with > vital statistics registration > > If you wish to pass this letter around, please feel free to > do so. I have included this mailing to a number of my > columnist colleagues around the country who might wish to > be alert to what is happening, down here, in Texas. > > I would appreciate hearing from anyone who hears any news > on this matter. > > Thank You, > > MIC > > Mic Barnette's Writes a Weekly Genealogy Column In > The Houston Chronicle. Read it on the Web At Barnette's > Family Tree Book Company http://barnettesbooks.com > > >