This is a long email, but I feel it contains some important items in regard to genealogy and identity theft. Tennessee enacted legislature similar to the one discussed in the email sent by Sharon Pike. The new Tennessee regulations regarding birth and death certificate went into effect on July 1, 2003. In Tennessee, though you can get a genealogical document regarding birth and death records which is a copy of the information It is not a certified record or a copy of the record with just the words "For genealogical purposes only" stamped on the copied certificate. It is a separate document on which the information from the birth or death record is record. The Home Security Department has supported legislation since 9-11 to protect us and our nation. There are two main reason for the legislation which affect all of us personally and as a nation: 1) Terrorism 2) Identity Theft One bank has the following on their web page: "To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means for you: When you open an account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may also ask to see your drivers license or other identifying documents. " I have changed many of my genealogy practices since the increase in genealogical web sides. Having studied identity Theft and nearly been a victim when our bank statement was stolen from our mail box, I have made certain changes in our families life style. At that time the checks were still returned with the statement. A neighbor found our mail strewn up the side street and portions of our bank statement and some checks. They kept the first page of the bank statement again at the time contained my husband's social security number, all checks to credit card, all checks with any household signatures. When the missing information came to my attention, I filed a police report and a postal report, changed my bank account, changed all my credit card, and notified the 3 major credit bureaus. Regarding genealogical information on the web, I am very careful that I do not share the last three generations of my family so that am I not concerned about it appearing on the web. Also, about every six months, I use Google to see if and where my name is appearing on the web. I had a friend who worked with Southwest Airlines and could not believe that the information I found regard her life on the web. I found slightly over 100 hits. Once in doing a historical research of an individual, I found a genealogical pages containing most of my friends in my small hometown. Talk about a shock! A family had children names: Admiral Dewey and Doctor Madden. Now, back to the birth and death certificates. It amazed me a few years ago when I was assisting an individual with an application for an organization. She was able to obtain her ex-husband's birth certificate (certified copy) and have it mailed to me. It truly came me higher concern for maintaining a close watch on our families personal documents. When you obtain new employment, a form I-9 is required to show that you are not an illegal immigrant. To complete the form you have to show a picture and to show that you were born in the US or have the necessary documents. The two most common items that are request are your driver's licenses and your social security card. In most case now, the business want to make copies of these items because it is a $50 fine for each I-9 that a company does not have on record for their employees. A passport can be the single document to meet the requirements of an I-9 and has less personal information and also has a background that indicates it is not an original when copied. My children have obtained passports just for the purpose of the I-9. When documents are copied and in a file you have not way of knowing who may have access to them. If you have read to the end of this email, you will see that I just wish to point out the importance of some legislature that may be necessary for our personal protection even though it makes genealogical research more challenging to us. Also, maybe I have also kept someone from having to deal with identity theft. I have also prepared a Genealogy and Privacy document that I now give to anyone that I obtain family genealogy from or that ones that obtain information from me. Also, you can visit http://www.state.tn.us/health/ to see how Tennessee is trying to assist genealogists. I believe the web pages is only available during certain times as I have not been able to open it over the weekend and believe I have noticed this before. As Sharon noted regard Kentucky records older than 50 years, many are now available on microfilm. In my home county, they have the complete set up to 1954, including a sound index, with a copy only a quarter. Last fall I contact the staff genealogist of CDXVIIC to ask about documentation under these new legislation. The response was that as long as it could be noted as an official documents (we all know that there are those who would fraud documents to join given societies) that the documents would be accept as primary documentation. I hope this email helps those in Kentucky and other states to understand the new legislation that is being enacted by states to protect us and our country. I was amazed at the email regarding that Ohio was thinking of removing from Libraries the records that are on microfilm. My impression is someone in their legislature body does not realize the magnitude and the state cost that procedure, without including the state and county funds that have been used to purchase the microfilm or the donations given. Interesting . . Deb P. S. I do not use my hotmail account often. I do not spell well as I am a mathematician. Therefore, I hope that I used the spell-checker correctly and most of my spelling errors have been corrected. Hope it came in paragraphs also. Also, if you read this long email, I personally thank you for taking the time and the effort. _________________________________________________________________ Free up your inbox with MSN Hotmail Extra Storage. Multiple plans available. http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-us&page=hotmail/es2&ST=1/go/onm00200362ave/direct/01/