Gleaned from the RAOGK mailing list: If anyone on the list if from MA... check this out! We do not need any more restrictions on our genealogy records. I wonder if it would make a difference if those that had family from / in MA to at least send an email? This was done with other states and it has helped. Brenda ____________New England & H? Genealogy Society or something of that effect. ') This is from the NEHGS newsletter and thought it might be of interest. Anyone on the list from MA should consider sending a letter to their members of the legislature to make sure they are in favor of this bill and NOT in favor of Mr. O'Brien's bills. Vital Records Access Bills Before Massachusetts Legislature Access to records is of extreme importance to genealogists. The Massachusetts legislature now has three bills before it regarding access to vital records in the Commonwealth. NEHGS, the Massachusetts Historical Society, and the Massachusetts Genealogical Council are supporting house bill H-3448, "An Act Relative to Birth, Marriage, and Death Records," sponsored by Stephen P. LeDuc. This bill provides for birth records up to 1925 and marriage and death records through 1960 to be transferred to the Massachusetts Archives within three years of January 1, 2007, with additional transfers occurring every five years thereafter (currently the archives has records through 1915). All records and indexes would remain open to the public through the present time. It also provides for a "special certified copy" of records for general information, as opposed to legal purposes. Three other bills, H-3642, H-3643, and H-3644, are sponsored by Thomas O'Brien. These bills impose more difficult restrictions on access to the records, effectively closing all records less than fifty years old. These bills have little to no support in the genealogical community. House Bill H-3448 will be heard before the Committee on Public Health on Wednesday, October 19th in Room A1 at the State House in Boston. A strong showing from the genealogical community at the hearing will help the bill as it makes its way through the legislature. Please join us at this hearing if you are able. For more information about records access issues in your area, visit www.fgs.org/rpa.