-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, February 08, 2003 6:24 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Letter From IGS President, Betty Warren - HB 1540 Betty Warren, President of the Indiana Genealogical Society, addressed members of the IGS Board and friends in her email below. I received permission from her to send her email to genealogists and friends. We are asking you to please write your representative in the state of Indiana and/or attend Wednesday's session concerning HB 1540 at the State House in Indianapolis. For more information go to the IGS web site at http://www.indgensoc.org/HB1540.html to learn more. And a special thank you to all the Indiana mail list administrators for your support in sending emails to your mail lists concerning HB 1540! Darlene Anderson IGS East Central IN District Director Dear friends of genealogy and IGS board members, If you would take some time to check out the IGS website (www.IndGenSoc.org), you will see that Meredith (thank you for fast action!) has posted the amendment digest proposed Wednesday February 5th to *satisfy* the needs of genealogists in relation to the closing of public access to the IN county birth (100 years) and death records (75 years). If you have not seen the bill yet, please, do read it. I gave my testimony in the House of Representatives Chamber on Wednesday in opposition to this bill and the amendment. Even though the use of the word genealogist in the amendment looks good, I strongly believe that without specific legal language that gives a definition and description of genealogist, there would be no access because of misinterpretation and misuse. The fact that they offered the amendment is a good sign that dialog is open, as we petitioned for in the IGS resolution. I, personally, am still opposed at this time. The bill has been held over in committee, a small victory for the day! However, it is scheduled to be heard again on Wednesday, February 12th at 10:30 in the House Chamber. It is a large room, but I would like to see as many of you there as humanly possible. You would not have to get up in front and testify (except you, Curt!). But, if we can fill that room (and the balcony, too would be nice), it would be a wonderful show of support. There is the possibility that they will put it off to another day, so do check the Sunday paper for the list of bills to be heard that week and we will keep in touch with Meredith to keep the website current. There is also the possibility that they would wait until the day of to cancel, which we cannot foresee. But, showing up would still send a very powerful message. Please continue with your email messages to the committee in regard to the amendment. They are being noted! Also, take the time to write a letter, if you can. Please do not use form letters or xerox copies; that would also be noted. Legible handwritten notes get the most notice, I am told. Wilma, please especially thank your local Representative Andrew Thomas for his support. Unfortunately, he is not on the committee, but he is a genealogist! And, he took the time to attend the hearing (even though he was not feeling well) and help support us. Nancy Hurley of the IGS Legislative Committee, myself and Curt will be preparing information for testimony; we will keep you posted of events as soon as we can. If you can help with the information we are gathering, please contact Nancy. Find her email on the IGS website or in the list above. And, please, mark your calendar to attend the hearing on Wednesday! Parking will be difficult downtown, as most of the garages are used by the legislators and *restricted from public access* :>) There is not much available on the street either. The old bus station garage at Ohio and Capitol is open. If you plan to stop in at the History Center later in the day, use the IHS lot off of New York. Car pool, if that helps. I will be coming from work that morning. Thank you for your continued support. Maybe we can stop this in committee! At the very least, we can let our voices be heard! Betty