I'm sure some of you have already seen this, but I thought it was important to send it on to as many people as possible. Surely something can be done to stop this. ----- Original Message ----- To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, February 09, 2003 10:36 PM Subject: [WASH] VA Wills to be destroyed need given HIstorical Society or sold to kin Message Board Post: IMPORTANT IMMEDIATE LEGISLATION AFFECTING VIRGINIA GENEALOGISTS!! STATUS: PASSED SENATE 40-0. NOW AT HOUSE OF DELEGATE SUBCOMMITTEE TO MEET ON IT MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2003. "VIRGINIA SENATE BILL 818-E2-80-94-DESTRUCTION OF WILL FILES. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=031&typ=bil&val=sb818&Submit =G o January 31, 2003 Virginia Senate Bill 818 Destruction of will files. Allows the clerk to destroy a will's file along with the original will after it is no longer of any value and after it has been microfilmed. The description of the Bill reads as follows: "Destruction of will files. Allows the clerk to destroy a will's file along with the original will after 5 years have passed since probate or recordation and allows destruction of originals of instruments which have been recorded and remained unretrieved by the recording party after 6 months, if the documents are no longer of any value and have been microfilmed." House of Delegates Subcommittee Member Information: Chairman Terry G. Kilgore of the House Subcommittee on/for Civil Law of the House Committee on/for Courts of Justice advises you that a meeting of the Subcommittee will be held on 02/10/2003 at Committee will meet immediately after adjournment of the Full Committee. in 7th. floor West Conf. Room in GAB. . Patron Name Bill(s) to be considered at this meeting Thomas Norment SB818 Civil Law Subcommittee Members to email (must be done immediately): Chairman: Kilgore, Terry G. [email protected] Members: Almand, James F. [email protected] Athey, Clifford L., Jr. [email protected] Black, Richard H. [email protected] Janis, William R. [email protected] Joannou, Johnny S. no email Johnson, Joseph P., Jr. [email protected] Marrs, Bradley P. [email protected] McQuigg, Michèle B. [email protected] Reese, Gary A. [email protected] Robert F. McDonnell - (Ex-Officio) [email protected] For all House of Delegate email addresses to email or call, see http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/MWebsiteEL?OpenView and http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/MWebsiteTL?OpenView To call to protest this bill in the general delivery voicemail box: By Phone When the General Assembly is in session, the House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia jointly operate a toll-free, intrastate telephone message center to accept calls from citizens of the Commonwealth wishing to express an opinion on legislation. The messages are received by the center and will be relayed to the members' offices as requested. You may call the Constituent Viewpoint operators at (800) 889-0229 (outside Richmond) or (804) 698-1990 (Richmond area) to express your opinion on a legislative issue. Donalyn