-----Original Message----- From: Iris Jones [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, July 08, 2002 11:59 AM To: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: July 6 Legislative Report LEGISLATIVE REPORT - JULY 6, 2002 On Friday, June 28, 2002, I sent out an ALERT on SB1614. The night before I recieved a message that the hearing in the Assembly Judiciary Committee scheduled August 6, 2002 had been moved back to Monday, July 1, 2002. The Committee would meet at the close of the Assembly Session. In spite of the very short notice, CSGA President Sheila Benedict, Past President Wendy Elliott, F.G.S and FHL representatives as well as representatives of MyFamily.com arrived in Sacramento over the weekend and met with various Legislators, staffers and legislative councils throughout the weekend and on Monday. To everyone's surprise, on Monday morning the Speaker of the House canceled all committee meetings. Presently, SB1614 is scheduled to be heard in the Committee once again on August 6, 2002. But with the Budget still pending, and legislators here in the Capital, it is possible that the Committee could meet between now and when the Budget passes. So, we need to be prepared. CSGA and its membership must consider that our 'genealogy community' is made up various types of researchers, from the commercial business to the hobbyist. No one set of needs is universal to us all. Therefore, what some factions believe is necessary, may not be in the best interest of all concerned. While representatives were 'working the halls of the Capitol' some suggestions and offers of compromise were discussed. At this point, it is a non issue until or when new language is offered in the bill. I will not bore you with the 'he said, she said, he said she said' details. WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS KEEP OUR EYE ON OUR GOAL TO KILL SB1614 and preserve our birth and death indexes, make sure they remain public information, and encourage right-thinking legislation that could and will help curtail identity theft. Because of the uncertain timing of the next hearing on SB1614, we must continue our efforts to let our legislators know of our opposition. WHAT WE CAN DO? If you have not contacted Senator Speier, Governor Davis and the members of the Assembly Judiciary Committee, please do so right away. Contact information is listed below. While we have established Republican support, it is imperative that we convince our Democratic representatives to support our stand. There is always the possibility that the author can find alternative financing and the bill could be redrafted so that it no longer will require a two-thirds vote and be passed with a mere majority. This is quite possible in the Democratic dominated Assembly. NOTE: As I reported on June 28, 2002, Senator Speier did pull the civil penalty clauses out of the bill last week, and the amendments appear on the Senate Web Site now. The following language has been removed: Section 1--(d) (1) An individual, corporation, or other business entity that purchased a comprehensive index prepared by the State Registrar pursuant to subdivision (a) from the State Registrar prior to December 31, 2001, may not use, or sell, share, or disclose any of the information contained therein to a third party.-- (2) Any person who, in violation of this section uses, sells, shares, or discloses any information provided pursuant to this section, or who uses information provided pursuant to this section in a manner other than as authorized pursuant to this section, may be denied further access to any personally identifying information or confidential information maintained by the department. That person shall also be subject to the assessment of a civil penalty by the department in the amount of ____ ($____). The penalty provided in this section shall not be construed as restricting any remedy, criminal, provisional, or otherwise, provided by law for the benefit of the department or any person. Remember that your letters, faxes, Emails and phone calls have made an impact, but we need more. We need to contact our own representatives. Once the Budget is passed and they go back to their home base, we need to contact them on their own turf. Be sure that your representative knows you are a constituent. Constituents mean votes. Area society Board Officers should make it a point to let their area legislators in both houses know of you membership opposition. Regionsl Directors can, speaking for their Regions, should write area legislators. Three to four members making a call upon their elected official would make an impression. Editorial items to the news media in your area also makes an impact. It was through our gigantic efforts and an understanding member of the Assembly, that the Genealogy community saved our vital records from closure in the mid-1990's! WE CAN DO IT AGAIN! Enough about the Bad Bill. Lets talk about the Good Bill, SB247 by Senator Speier. This bill is similar to a bill we sponsored in the mid-1990's to safeguard birth records. SB247 originally included only the birth certificates, now the death certificates are included. Certificates throughout the state will become uniform and be printed on security paper. Copies will be issued to authorized persons, including registrant, parent, legal guardian, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, spouse or domestic partner of the registrant only after registrants comply with identification requirements. Other than official requests, other copies issued will contain the statement in perforated type, 'Informational, not a valid Document to Establish Identity.' There is a $2 increase in the cost of certificates to finance this action. The bill also requires the establishment of a vital records advisory committee to study and make recommendations to protect individual privacy, inhibit identity theft and prevent fraud involving birth and death certificates, but preserve access to these records for those with legitimate purposes. Genealogists will be represented on the committee. Now, here is a bill that researchers can support, allowing Dept of Health Services the tools they need to protect from identity theft and facilitate future contingencies. THIS IS A GOOD BILL. If you wish to follow State Legislation you may check the State Web site at http://www.sen.ca.gov> or order copies from the Bill Room, State Capital, Sacramento, CA 95814 or call to order 916-445-2323. To be added to my Network, send your name, name of your organization, and e-mail address, stating you wish to be added to the Legislative Network, to <[email protected]> ---6 July 2002, Iris Carter Jones, Legislative Network. [Permission granted to reprint Legislative reports. Please cite your source and note the date of the report.] * * * CONTACT INFORMATION * * * Send one copy of your letter to the Judiciary Committee and one to each committee member. California State Assembly Judiciary Committee 1020 N Street, Room 104 Sacramento, CA, 95814 Fax: (916) 319-2188 E-mail: [email protected] Ellen M. Corbett (Chair) State Capitol Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2018 Fax: (916) 319-2118 E-mail: [email protected] Tom Harman (Vice-Chair) State Capitol, Room 5158 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2067 Fax: (916) 319-2167 E-mail: [email protected] Patricia C. Bates State Capitol, Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2073 Fax: (916) 319-2173 E-mail: [email protected] Robert Pacheco State Capitol, Room 4177 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2060 Fax: (916) 319-2160 E-mail: [email protected] Rod Pacheco State Capitol, Room 2130 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2064 Fax: (916) 319-2164 E-mail: [email protected] John A. Dutra State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2020 Fax: (916) 319-2120 E-mail: [email protected] Hannah-Beth Jackson State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2035 Fax: (916) 319-2135 E-mail: [email protected] Howard Wayne State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319 -2078 Fax: (916) 319 - 2178 E-mail: [email protected] Darrell Steinberg State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2009 Fax: (916) 319-2109 E-mail: [email protected] John Longville State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2062 Fax: (916) 319-2162 E-mail: [email protected] Juan Vargas State Capitol, Room 2188 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2079 Fax: (916) 319-2179 Email: [email protected] Kevin Shelley State Capitol, Room 319 Sacramento, California 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2012 Fax: (916) 319-2112 E-mail: [email protected] Governor Gray Davis State Capitol Building Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-445-2841 Fax: 916-445-4633 E-mail: [email protected] Assembly Republican Caucus Mark Redmond Fax: 916-319-3902