IMPORTANT This one needs our attention "NOW" before they pass a bill that may limit our access to these records. Contact information for the legislature is below. Marti -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= original message -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 07:01:55 -0500 From: Frederick Dittmar <[email protected]> Subject: [Fwd: Genealogist Alert re: Senate Bill 1608] To: [email protected] Reply-to: [email protected] The following was sent to all e-mail registered OGS members yesterday and then contact was made with the Legislature both by phone and mail. Now it's your turn. One Representative said that it was to keep people from acquiring Social Security Numbers of the deceased. He was informed about the SSDI link on Rootsweb and and others plus the fact that Death Certificates do not have SSN on them. The way this "law" is written only the deceased can obtain a copy, "disclosing information from or releasing any part or copy of any Vital Statistics Records to anyone but "the person who is the subject of the record ..." Talk with your Senator and Representative SOON - NOW. Let your County Board know what's happening. Another link to the Oklahoma House & Senant and the US Representatives & Senators is: <http://www.state.ok.us/?c=7&sc=80>http://www.state.ok.us/?c=7&sc=80 for addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Thank you, Fred Frederick M. Dittmar Board Member & Genealogical Assistant Oklahoma Genealogical Society <http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgs>http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgs Diggin' Deep Genealogy Research Service Box 2601 - Norman, Oklahoma 73070-2601 <http://www.dittmar.net/fred>http://www.dittmar.net/fred Member: Association of Professional Genealogists Received: from iris.SERVICES.ou.edu Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 15:52:19 -0400 (EDT) From: [email protected] Subject: Genealogist Alert re: Senate Bill 1608 To: [email protected] Dear OGS members and friends, The Oklahoma legislature is about to pass into law something that affects genealogists in a very big way. Senate Bill No. 1608 makes several changes to the Statute (63 O. S. 2001) dealing with Vital Statistics. One part (Section 1-323) deletes the language that exempts death certificates from the prohibition against permitting inspection of, disclosing information from or releasing any part or copy of any Vital Statistics Records to anyone but "the person who is the subject of the record or in such person's interest unless ordered to do so by a court of competent jurisdiction". Until this bill, death certificates were specifically exempted from that prohibition against release. The deletion of that exemption places Oklahoma death certificates among the records that will no longer be available to researchers. If passed with the emergency declaration as written, this becomes law July 1, 2002. The original bill was passed in the Senate on March 18, 2002. The House added amendments relating to other sections and passed it April 15, 2002. The House amendments are still to be dealt with and so it will be before our legislators again in conference. There is also the Governor's signature still to come. The bill's intention is probably not to restrict our access, but that may be the result. An immediate phone call followed quickly by a letter to your Senator and your Representative (and possibly the Governor) to express your views of the bill would be useful at this time. As with all contacts with our elected representatives, clearly and respectfully stated views on pending legislation is usually appreciated. Please make contact as quickly as possible as the legislature is trying to wind down this session soon. The switch board number for the Senate is 524-0126 and for the House is 521-2711. You may track the progress of the bill and get contact information at the Oklahoma Legislature website < <http://www.lsb.state.ok.us/>http://www.lsb.state.ok.us/ > (Each representative has an e-mail address listed at this site.) Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Your fellow genealogists will be in your debt. Sincerely, Oklahoma Genealogical Society Board of Directors
Marti, What's the number of the bill? Exactly what does it say? --- Frederick Dittmar <[email protected]> wrote: > > IMPORTANT > > This one needs our attention "NOW" before they pass > a bill that may limit > our access to these records. > > Contact information for the legislature is below. > > Marti > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= original message > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= > Date: Thu, 16 May 2002 07:01:55 -0500 > From: Frederick Dittmar <[email protected]> > Subject: [Fwd: Genealogist Alert re: Senate Bill > 1608] > To: [email protected] > Reply-to: [email protected] > > The following was sent to all e-mail registered OGS > members yesterday and > then contact was made with the Legislature both by > phone and mail. Now > it's your turn. > > One Representative said that it was to keep people > from acquiring Social > Security Numbers of the deceased. He was informed > about the SSDI link on > Rootsweb and and others plus the fact that Death > Certificates do not have > SSN on them. The way this "law" is written only the > deceased can obtain a > copy, "disclosing information from or releasing > any part or copy of any > Vital Statistics Records to anyone but "the person > who is the subject of > the record ..." > > Talk with your Senator and Representative SOON - > NOW. Let your County > Board know what's happening. > > Another link to the Oklahoma House & Senant and the > US Representatives & > Senators > is: > <http://www.state.ok.us/?c=7&sc=80>http://www.state.ok.us/?c=7&sc=80 > > for addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses. > > Thank you, Fred > Frederick M. Dittmar > Board Member & Genealogical Assistant > Oklahoma Genealogical Society > <http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgs>http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgs > > > Diggin' Deep Genealogy Research Service > Box 2601 - Norman, Oklahoma 73070-2601 > <http://www.dittmar.net/fred>http://www.dittmar.net/fred > > Member: Association of Professional Genealogists > > > Received: from iris.SERVICES.ou.edu > Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 15:52:19 -0400 (EDT) > From: [email protected] > Subject: Genealogist Alert re: Senate Bill 1608 > To: [email protected] > > Dear OGS members and friends, > > The Oklahoma legislature is about to pass into law > something that affects > genealogists in a very big way. Senate Bill No. > 1608 makes several changes > to the Statute (63 O. S. 2001) dealing with Vital > Statistics. One part > (Section 1-323) deletes the language that exempts > death certificates from > the prohibition against permitting inspection of, > disclosing information > from or releasing any part or copy of any Vital > Statistics Records to > anyone but "the person who is the subject of the > record or in such person's > interest unless ordered to do so by a court of > competent > jurisdiction". Until this bill, death certificates > were specifically > exempted from that prohibition against release. The > deletion of that > exemption places Oklahoma death certificates among > the records that will no > longer be available to researchers. > > If passed with the emergency declaration as written, > this becomes law July > 1, 2002. The original bill was passed in the Senate > on March 18, > 2002. The House added amendments relating to other > sections and passed it > April 15, 2002. The House amendments are still to > be dealt with and so it > will be before our legislators again in conference. > There is also the > Governor's signature still to come. > > The bill's intention is probably not to restrict our > access, but that may > be the result. An immediate phone call followed > quickly by a letter to > your Senator and your Representative (and possibly > the Governor) to express > your views of the bill would be useful at this time. > As with all contacts > with our elected representatives, clearly and > respectfully stated views on > pending legislation is usually appreciated. Please > make contact as quickly > as possible as the legislature is trying to wind > down this session > soon. The switch board number for the Senate is > 524-0126 and for the > House is 521-2711. You may track the progress of > the bill and get contact > information at the Oklahoma Legislature website < > <http://www.lsb.state.ok.us/>http://www.lsb.state.ok.us/ > > (Each > representative has an e-mail address listed at this > site.) > > Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. > Your fellow > genealogists will be in your debt. > > Sincerely, > Oklahoma Genealogical Society Board of Directors > > > > ===== Ron Long Ada, OK [email protected] __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? LAUNCH - Your Yahoo! Music Experience http://launch.yahoo.com