*** TIME SENSITIVE *** NJ Vital Statistics: Proposed Fee Increase & Rule Changes Dear NJ Genealogical Community, As published in the "New Jersey Register" (1), the Bureau of Vital Statistics and Registration has published "Proposed Readoption with Amendments: N.J.A.C. 8:2 for Birth Certificates" and "Proposed New Rules: N.J.A.C. 8:2A" for Death Certificates". You may view the text of these proposals: Birth Records: http://www.state.nj.us/health/rules/njac8_2birth_cert.pdf Death Records: http://www.state.nj.us/health/rules/njac8_2a_death_rec.pdf As part of their "readoption" and "new rules", the Bureau of Vital Statistics is proposing to increase the search fee from $4 to $25. This increase would make NJ one of the most expensive states for vital records. In the US, only 4 states are currently charging $20+ for vital record searches -- MA, NY, OR, and AK. When reviewing the cost for vital records searches in the US, I found the national average is $12... half of the proposed new search fee in NJ. Also, in the "Proposed New Rules: N.J.A.C. 8:2A for Death Certificates" under 8:2A-1.2 Definitions: "Genealogical records" - they have proposed 'Records of death are considered genealogical after 50 years have passed from the date of death.' This is a 10 year increase from the current 40 year restriction. http://www.state.nj.us/health/vital/writein.shtml You are encouraged to send written comments by 3/19/05 to: Joseph A. Komosinski, State Registrar DHSS PO Box 370 Trenton, NJ 08625-0370 Also, if you live in NJ, please copy your local legislaters (State Senators & Assemblymen) on your letter to the State Registrar. Source: 37 N.J.R. 172-182 (New Jersey Register, Tuesday, January 18, 2005, p172-182. -- Michelle Tucker Chubenko Professional Genealogist: http://www.chubenko.us/profgen/index.htm "Things don't turn up in this world until somebody turns them up." - James A. Garfield ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ukraine WorldGenWeb: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ukrwgw/index.html NJGenWeb: Monmouth County - http://www.rootsweb.com/~njmonmo2 OKGenWeb Adair Co.: http://www.rootsweb.com/~okadair/adaircty.htm AdairCoArch: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ok/adair/adair.html Shell'sHomePg: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mchub/shell.htm