Hello Folks, Much is going on with the fight for access to Public records. We have already mentioned California’s AB 130, where the Mother’s Maiden name cannot be given with data files and Internet Indices. Correa and Hancock voted No. The following were absent, astaining or not voting: Ashburn, Calderon, DeSaulnier, Harman, Padilla and Wright. NOW, NOW is the time to write, call or Fax to: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger State Capitol Building Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-445-2841 Fax: 916-558-3160 ( new number ) Or go to: http://govnews.ca.gov/govmail/webmail.php to send a E-mail. If you do not take a minute to notify Governor Schwarzenegger of our needs for this to *be vetoed*, we all will be sorry in the years to come. The other biggie is the closing of the Michigan State Library. Shirley Hodges reminds us to tell all Representatives and Senators that funding needs to keep the entire Library as it is now and keep it in the Library building that was built for that purpose. The final budget has to be approved by *Sept. 30.* You can sign a petition by going to: *http://www.petitiononline.com/RPAC2009/petition.html*<http://www.petitionon line.com/RPAC2009/petition.html> NOW IS THE TIME!!!! Good News: The Adams County, Nebraska Historical Society wanted the names of people buried in the cemetery attached to the Hastings Regional Center, a mental institution. They were denied access by the records custodian. The Historical Society said that the information constituted death records<http://www.rcfp.org/news/mag/33-1/unearthing_an_unusual_privacy_batt le_19.html>, not medical records that might be covered by HIPAA, federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. The high court in Nebraska agreed. The Nebraska open records law provides that medical records "other than records of births and deaths" may be withheld from the public. The court found that the cemetery information fell into the death-record category because it was even more limited than what is released to the public on an actual death certificate. Furthermore, the data sought did not describe the diagnosis or treatment of the individuals at the facility -- just their names and locations of burial. The court held that "HIPAA, does not bar release of the information" and, in fact, "provides for release of information when required by state law." As the records here were death records under Nebraska law, the court said, they must be released! So dear genealogists*, NOW IS THE TIME TO BE HEARD!!!* Liz Myers
I just fired off an email via the Governor's website. I find it a personal affront as a woman that we can only be identified by our husbands' names and thus hidden from History, yet again! This cuts off our research on any female lines unless we absolutely know more. I asked Gov. Schwarzeneger if it would be fair that his descendants could not trace his mother's line unless they knew her name was Aurelia Jadrny.... and other comments. Happy Trails, Lauren On Wed, Sep 16, 2009 at 1:36 PM, <CYLGowdy@aol.com> wrote: > Hello Folks, > > Much is going on with the fight for access to Public records. We have > already mentioned California’s AB 130, where the Mother’s Maiden name > cannot > be given with data files and Internet Indices. > > > > Correa and Hancock voted No. The following were absent, astaining or not > voting: Ashburn, Calderon, DeSaulnier, Harman, Padilla and Wright. > > > > NOW, NOW is the time to write, call or Fax to: > > Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger > State Capitol Building > Sacramento, CA 95814 > Phone: 916-445-2841 > Fax: 916-558-3160 ( new number ) > > Or go to: http://govnews.ca.gov/govmail/webmail.php to send a E-mail. > > If you do not take a minute to notify Governor Schwarzenegger of our needs > for this to *be vetoed*, we all will be sorry in the years to come. > > The other biggie is the closing of the Michigan State Library. Shirley > Hodges reminds us to tell all Representatives and Senators that funding > needs to keep the entire Library as it is now and keep it in the Library > building that was built for that purpose. The final budget has to be > approved by *Sept. 30.* > > You can sign a petition by going to: > > *http://www.petitiononline.com/RPAC2009/petition.html*<http://www.petitionon > line.com/RPAC2009/petition.html> > > NOW IS THE TIME!!!! > > Good News: The Adams County, Nebraska Historical Society wanted the names > of > people buried in the cemetery attached to the Hastings Regional Center, a > mental institution. They were denied access by the records custodian. The > Historical Society said that the information constituted death > records<http://www.rcfp.org/news/mag/33-1/unearthing_an_unusual_privacy_batt > le_19.html>, > not medical records that might be covered by HIPAA, federal Health > Insurance > Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. > > The high court in Nebraska agreed. The Nebraska open records law provides > that medical records "other than records of births and deaths" may be > withheld from the public. The court found that the cemetery information > fell > into the death-record category because it was even more limited than what > is > released to the public on an actual death certificate. Furthermore, the > data > sought did not describe the diagnosis or treatment of the individuals at > the > facility -- just their names and locations of burial. > > The court held that "HIPAA, does not bar release of the information" and, > in > fact, "provides for release of information when required by state law." As > the records here were death records under Nebraska law, the court said, > they > must be released! > > So dear genealogists*, NOW IS THE TIME TO BE HEARD!!!* > > Liz Myers > > > ______________________________________ > > A big "THANK YOU" to all of you that give so generously of your time volunteering for the Society. > --------------------------------- > Visit our website: http://www.maringensoc.org > > Read the meeting notices: <http://www.maringensoc.org/News/newsletters.htm> > > Read the Society's blog run by Gene Pennington: > http://maringensoc.blogspot.com/ > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to MARINGENSOC-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message