I emailed my State Rep (Pat Walrath-D) and she promptly had her secretary send me a copy of the House Bill #5158, which deals with MA Vital records. It is true. Our darling "public servants" are at it again, restricting our rights and increasing our tax burden. MA General Laws have always provided open and free access to review vital records such as births, marriages and deaths. Only until recently, with the misguided media hype concerning child "safety" and identity "theft," have these long-standing rights been inhibited by restricting access to anyone's birth record below the age of 18. We were told then that this would solve the problem and no more restrictions would be necessary. Well, the genie is out of the bottle and now we're faced with SEVERE restrictions. I am both alarmed and infuriated. This trend is dangerous to a free society and it certainly limits my ability to do legitimate genealogical and local historical research. It will limit your ability for such too. Page 6 of the House Bill #5158 pamphlet states the following: "Section 10. Chapter 46 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out section 2A and inserting in place thereof the following section: --- "Section 2A. (1) On January 1, 2004, all records and indices pertaining to births through December 31, 1910, any amendments to births filed prior to December 31, 1910, records and indices of marriages and deaths through December 31, 1950, and any amendments to marriages and deaths filed prior to December 31, 1950, shall become public records. . . . "Once vital records, indices and amendments of births, marriages and deaths become public records under this subsection [NOTE: only birth records prior to Dec. 31, 1910 and only marriage and death records prior to Dec. 31, 1950 will be considered "public records" ! ], the custodians of such records may make such records available for public examination upon request not withstanding any general or special law that would otherwise RESTRICT ACCESS. (2) Vital records, reports, and indices maintained as part of the system of vital records and statistics by custodians other than the archivist of the commonwealth ARE NOT PUBLIC RECORDS as defined in clause 26 of section 7 of chapter 4 and are not subject to public inspection and copying under chapter 66, with the exception of those vital records made public records under subsection one. [i.e. only birth records prior to Dec. 31, 1910 and marriage and death records prior to Dec. 31, 1950] CUSTODIANS [TOWN CLERKS] SHALL IMPLEMENT APPROPRIATE SECURITY MEASURES TO RESTRICT PUBLIC EXAMINATION OF VITAL RECORDS AND ISSUANCE OF CERTIFIED COPIES CONSISTENT WITH THIS SECTION 13, OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF CHAPTER 46, AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF GENERAL AND SPECIAL LAW to deter identity theft and to prevent fraudulent procurement and use of vital records and information. [good luck, Big "Brother" People, NOW is the time to be outraged and to DO SOMETHING about this Orwellian legislative shackle attempt. If you wish to keep your right to do genealogical research and local historical research, then please take the time to contact your representative. Let them know you oppose House Bill #5158 and any other attempts like it to restrict your right to access MA vital records. If our dear "representatives" succeed in passing this bill, we might as well hang up our genealogical hats and call it a day. We won't be able to conduct valuable research any longer at city / town hall. John C. Schumacher-Hardy So. Lancaster, MA Proud member of the Libertarian Party (live the legacy... liberty for all) THANK YOU TO SHARON SERGEANT WHO FIRST ALERTED US TO THIS CRISIS SHE WROTE THE FOLLOWING: Massachusetts (MA) Researcher Update: MA Vital Records Closing! The Massachusetts Genealogical Council (MGC) board has been informed that the MA Department of Health is attempting to get the MA House Bill H5158 passed this week on the third reading in the MA House http://www.state.ma.us/legis/history/h05158.htm . Continued rereading, analysis and consultations regarding this bill by MGC board members and representatives is creating deepening concerns. It is important that you request BOTH a copy of this bill from your MA rep AND an explanation of you rep's position on the contents and the implications. The text of the bill is still not yet on line at http://www.state.ma.us/scripts/legis/ltsh.idq?HouseNumber=5158 Use every avenue. Register your concerns with your MA rep http://www.state.ma.us/legis/repdis01.htm Take a copy of the bill to a town clerk or an archivist at the MA archives and ask them exactly how they would interpret and implement it. Ask the HOUSE RULES committee members about their findings on the impact and the consequences of this bill : Members appointed to the committee: Rep. Scaccia of Boston Honan of Boston Correia of Fall River DiMasi of Boston Speliotis of Danvers Binienda of Worcester Ciampa of Somerville Harkins of Needham Turkington of Falmouth Connolly of Everett Lewis of Dedham Fallon of Malden Kelly of Dalton Cleven of Chelmsford Poirier of North Attleborough http://www.state.ma.us/legis/comm/h33.htm Additional MGC recommendations can be found at http://massgencouncil.home.attbi.com/index.htm . MA residents will shoulder the additional tax dollars, but all researchers will incure both specific costs and indirect costs with this bill - with the closure of access and services! Please, report your findings to the MGC at info@massgencouncil.org or Massachusetts Genealogical Council , PO Box 5393, Cochituate, MA 01778.