Having just learned of House Bill HB 836, I am forwarding this message to many mailing lists. Please accept my apologies for any duplications, but this is extremely important. I, personally, have just recently contacted two distant Smith cousins because of these very Indexes. Had they not been available, I would never have been able to make contact. Since time is of the essence, and this bill is on a "fast track" basis, I am going to fax my letter in to my Senator and the Committee members. Please do the same. The Hearing is scheduled for this coming Wednesday (May 5, 1999) at 7:00 a.m. Please read the below message: -- Thanks - Deonna Smith Vaughan deonna@pdq.net or SantaFe48@aol.com http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/4867 =============================================== : In case you have not heard there is a bill in the Texas : Legislature that might close the indexes to death and birth : records in Texas for 25 and 50 years, respectfully. : : My column on Saturday April 24 will state most of what we : know about the bill at this time. The column is already on : my website at http://barnettesbooks.com Just click on read : the columns. Scroll down and click on April 24. : : The column was submitted this morning for a Saturday : publication date. Since being notified of this bill by : Tommy Burns of Houston, I have found out only a little bit : more. : : Supposedly, the bill was submitted to clarify the current : law. The intent of the bill was to clarify the existing law : and help open birth and death indexes in counties where the : county clerk felt they were closed (At the same time, other : county clerks felt the indexes were open). While in : committee an amendment was placed on the bill stating the : indexes would become open and public when the actual : records (birth and death records) became open and public. : According to the amendment the indexes would be closed for : 25-50 years until the records themselves are public. : : The HB 836 passed the Public Health Committee in the State : House of Representatives on March 30. It was referred to : the Senate State Affairs Committee. As of today, the bill : does not have a Senate sponsor. If we cause enough rancor, : it is possible no one will take on the sponsorship of the : bill and it will die in committee. On the otherhand, if a : sponsor is found, we want to be on record requesting a : hearing. At that hearing, we would need to flood the room : with genealogists and other concerned citizens. While a law : clarifying the present confusing law might be welcome, : amendment on HB 836 closes the birth and death indexes : until the actual records become public which is 25-50 : years. : : .Monday night I contacted Jack Brissee, Chair of the : FGS/NGS Records Preservation and Access Committee. Jack and : his committee work with genealogists and other : organizations all over the country when records are : threatened with closure or misuse. He jumped on it and has : faxed a letter to the Chair of the Senate State Affairs : Committee. He has urged everyone to contact all : genealogists, genealogical, historical and other concerned : organizations to write a calm, collected, but, concerned : letter to the Chair of the Senate Affairs Committee and to : our own Senator concerning this bill. : : The Honorable Florence Shapiro : Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs : P.O.Box 12068 : Capital Station : Austin, TX 78711 : : : Another bill in the legislature each of you should be aware : of is HB13. This bill seeks to allow adoptees to obtain : their original birth certificate upon reaching the age of : 21. HB13 has met with the hostility of child placement : services and birth mothers. Currently it is held up in : committee where it may die. Part of the HB 13 awareness may : have had some effect on HB 836 because both have to do with : vital statistics registration : : If you wish to pass this letter around, please feel free to : do so. I have included this mailing to a number of my : columnist colleagues around the country who might wish to : be alert to what is happening, down here, in Texas. : : I would appreciate hearing from anyone who hears any news : on this matter. : : Thank You, : : MIC : : Mic Barnette's Writes a Weekly Genealogy Column In : The Houston Chronicle. Read it on the Web At Barnette's : Family Tree Book Company http://barnettesbooks.com