Forwarding for those following SB 1614 Fri, 28 Jun 2002 19:36:03 -0700 From: Iris Jones <[email protected]> Subject: Action Alert on SB 1614 Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2002 19:38:35 -0700 ALERT Well, our esteemed Senator announced this afternoon that the Hearing for SB1614 WILL BE HEARD on July 1, 2002. It is imperative that we take the time to write the Assembly Judiciary Committee of our objections.=20 The Hearing will take place immediately following the Floor Session scheduled Monday at 11 a.m. What time is the Hearing? I am sorry but there is no way to tell.=20 The Legislation will have floor session Saturday and Sunday [working on the budget] , so there will be staff in their offices to received you fax and Email messages.=20 I am including below the Alert Statement sent by BastardNations which will give you more details, or check my last report, June 27, 2002. Jean has also furnished us with the list of the Committee members and how to reach them. We also received information that the following language has been removed from the bill. Obviously, they figured out that it was unconstitutional. =20 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. ----- Original Message ----- =46rom: "Steffen, Richard" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 2:58 PM On Fri, 28 Jun 2002 14:06:28 -0700, "Jean" <[email protected]> wrote: NOTE: The Bastard Nations has organized a rally for 12 noon on the South Steps of the Capital with Speakers from opposition groups and media coverage. You are invited to join the rally. If you can come let me know. My compliments to Jean and her team for moving so quickly to get this rally back on track. =20 --------------------------------------------------------- ACTION ALERT: URGENT ACTION NEEDED IN CALIFORNIA! ACCESS TO BIRTH INDEX UNDER ATTACK! TELL CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE MEMBERS: VOTE NO ON SB1614! PRESERVE PUBLIC ACCESS TO CALIFORNIA BIRTH AND DEATH INDICES. SB1614 was passed by the California Senate and will now be heard by the California State Assembly Judiciary Committee on MONDAY, JULY 1st. This bill is trying to zip through under the radar,and must be derailed NOW. Please call, fax, and e-mail ALL MEMBERS OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TODAY and urge a DO NOT PASS vote on SB1614. Fax and e-mail should be sent by FRIDAY, JUNE 28th. The bill, sponsored by Senator Jackie Speier, seeks to remove California's birth and death indices from the public domain, where they have been generally available to the public since 1905. The passage of this bill will transform a century of public information into closely guarded state secrets. SB1614 would foster secrecy in government. Citizens would no longer be able to access government-held, public information on their own=20 histories and identities. This bill would create a right of confidentiality that has never before existed. The birth and death=20 indexes are not and have never been personally owned, confidential=20 information; they are and have always been public records. SB1614 seeks to reverse a century-long free flow of public information by placing the use of both indexes back under strict government regulation.=20 The birth and death indices are used extensively for genealogical and=20 historical research, population studies, public health queries and=20 public policy research. SB1614 will do little to help the problem it=20 was intended to address - identity theft. According to the First=20 Amendment Coalition, most identity theft occurs through the literal=20 theft of mail, purses, and wallets by friends, relatives, neighbors, and strangers - not through use of the birth and death indices. SUMMARY OF SB1614 1. This bill would remove the comprehensive birth and death indices from protection of the California Public Records Act. Instead, it would make the indices confidential information - except to government agencies. 2. This bill would prohibit a government agency from selling or releasing these indices. This bill would also prohibit specified businesses and individuals, who legally purchased the indices from the State prior to December 31, 2001, from releasing and sharing with others. The bill authorizes a civil penalty to enforce this prohibition. 3. This bill would require the State Registrar to establish a separate, NON comprehensive electronic birth and death indices, available for public inspection at county recorders' offices statewide and at the office of the State Registrar. The information to be included in the non comprehensive indices will be determined by the State Registrar. No printing will be allowed at these special computer terminals. Individuals who wish to view =20 the non comprehensive birth or death index must certify, UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY, that the information they view will not be used for criminal purposes. 4. This bill would permit the release of SPECIFIED personal information to financial institutions and consumer credit reporting agencies, for the sole purpose of determining if the person whose information is being released is still living. =20 Read the full text at: http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_1601-1650/sb_1614_bill_20020625_am= ended_asm.html Please share this information with any lists you are on. =20 * * * 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 =46ax: (916) 319-2188 E-mail: [email protected] Ellen M. Corbett (Chair) State Capitol Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2018 =46ax: (916) 319-2118 E-mail: [email protected] Tom Harman (Vice-Chair) State Capitol, Room 5158 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2067 =46ax: (916) 319-2167 E-mail: [email protected] Patricia C. Bates State Capitol, Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2073 =46ax: (916) 319-2173 E-mail: [email protected] Robert Pacheco State Capitol, Room 4177 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2060 =46ax: (916) 319-2160 E-mail: [email protected]/ca/gov Rod Pacheco State Capitol, Room 2130 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2064 =46ax: (916) 319-2164 E-mail: [email protected] John A. Dutra State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2020 =46ax: (916) 319-2120 E-mail: [email protected] Hannah-Beth Jackson State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2035 =46ax: (916) 319-2135 E-mail: [email protected] Howard Wayne State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319 -2078 =46ax: (916) 319 - 2178 E-mail: [email protected] Darrell Steinberg State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2009 =46ax: (916) 319-2109 E-mail: [email protected] John Longville State Capitol P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2062 =46ax: (916) 319-2162 E-mail: [email protected] Juan Vargas State Capitol, Room 2188 Sacramento, CA 94249-0001 Phone: (916) 319-2079 =46ax: (916) 319-2179 Email: [email protected] Kevin Shelley State Capitol, Room 319 Sacramento, California 95814 Phone: (916) 319-2012 =46ax: (916) 319-2112 E-mail: [email protected] Also send a copy of your Assembly Judiciary Committee letter to these three additional addresses: Governor Gray Davis State Capitol Building Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-445-2841 =46ax: 916-445-4633 E-mail: [email protected] Assembly Republican Caucus Mark Redmond =46ax: 916-319-3902 Bastard Nation E-mail: [email protected] --=20 Iris Carter Jones CSGA Legislative Coordinator