Just in.... Do read then get out your pencils and write your representatives!!!! Jana -------- Original Message -------- Subject: SB1614 MAY 28TH UPDATE Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 18:15:10 -0700 From: Iris Jones <[email protected]> To: Master List 3 <[email protected]>, Master List 4 <[email protected]>, Master List 5 <[email protected]> On Tue, 28 May 2002 18:13:51 -0700, Iris Jones <[email protected]> wrote: LEGISLATIVE UPDATE ON SB1614 - MAY 28, 2002 Sorry for the silence, but last week was very busy. I have been playing telephone-tag with the folks at the office of the Governor, the Director of Health Services and subordinates, and legislators. In some cases I just got a run-around. In response [I believe] to correspondence from the genealogy community, the Governor had a news release [May 19, 2002] on the question of identity theft and privacy rights, "New proposed guidelines will affect millions of Californians by restricting or limiting the release of the 41 million birth and death indices." He goes on, "These guidelines will safeguard individual privacy and prevent fraud. But they also will ensure appropriate access to information for those conducting genealogical research or who have other legitimate needs for such data." The first of the six guidelines is to prevent the use of someone else's birth certificate which is covered by Senator Speier's SB247. The fifth of his guidelines is standardizing all California birth certificates, not now the case. SB247 will be amended to standardize all certificates. The second and of most concern, "Restrict the use of the birth and death indexes by limiting viewing to the offices of state or local registrars and recorders. Those who wish to view the indices would be required to sign a statement certifying, under penalty of perjury, that the information would not be used for criminal purposes. The release of the indices for non governmental purposes would be prohibited." [As I have said before, this in itself restricts the public. The turn-around time for the State to furnish a copy of a certificate now is six months and more. Since I began this job in 1994, we have dealt with more than a half dozen county recorders who all but ignore the public, in some cases people could not even get an appointment to get into their offices.] The third requires the state to implement an electronic death registration system statewide to aid in the timely cross matching of birth and death certificates. The State presently is required to indicate on the birth certificate the death information to prevent the use of birth certificates of the deceased. Now there is lag time implementing this action. [This is a good thing.] The guidelines include making it a crime to acquires, transfer or retains vital records with the intent to defraud. [Which I am sure is covered by law already.] And lastly to create a Vital Records Protection Advisory Committee to review and make recommendations to the Dept. of Health Services. Presently SB1614 is being amended to include language to cover financing and should be heard today by the Appropriations Committee. It will go to the Senate Floor for a vote before May 31, 2002, the cutoff for bills to leave the house of origin. At this point contacting your own Senator is what we need to do. Organization's officers can also contact Senators in their area. Let them know how we feel. Obviously, we have not changed the Governor or Senator Speier's mind. Maybe our own representatives will be more receptive. Commentary: If the bill passes and is implemented, the state will furnish one terminal to each county. Envision that----say in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco or even Sacramento. I can only imagine the reaction by county recorders. Talk about nightmares. Not to mention the time it will take to develop the new non-comprehensive indexes. Since the Governor's December Executive order suspending the release of the indexes, the public can only view the indexes at the State or county level. How well is the public being served now? I want to thank each of you who have contacted me by mail, Email and fax. I appreciate knowing you are out there and doing what you can to help us save our Indexes. I had hoped to respond to each of you, but that is going to be impossible. Please know that I do appreciate your help and encouragement. Keep it coming. To follow State Legislation, 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]>.---28 May 2002, CSGA Legislative Network Coordinator, Iris Carter Jones. [Permission is granted to reprint Legislative reports. Please cite your source.]