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Are you aware the State of Iowa's Legislature is considering a bill RIGHT NOW to close Iowa birth records to public viewing in Iowa county courthouses? Laws like this have already been enacted in other states. If this bill passes the only way to obtain a birth record for anyone born after 1905 will be to write to the IA State Dept. of Health. You will have to pay a (probably) non-refundable fee for EACH record search you want performed. When just starting your research, how will you even know which records to ask for? Aren't you are searching the records for that very information?? The following is from Richard Harrison, the IAGenWeb State Coordinator.: The Closing of Iowa Birth Records???? The Iowa State Department of Health, Vital Records Division, would like to see all birth records less than 95 years old closed to the public at the county level and have drafted a bill to this effect to be taken up by the legislature. According to Larry Coghlan of the Vital Records Dept., "The proposal is to make birth certificates 95 years old and older available for inspection and copying at the county level. The rest of the birth certificates would require a direct and tangible interest to obtain a copy. It is being proposed because of the identity theft (fraud) that has been taking place throughout the United States." This proposal raises a number of questions: Is it really necessary to close 95 years of records to address this problem? How will moving the records from the county level to the state level make it any more (or less) difficult for people interested in committing fraud? How will they define "direct and tangible interest"? Will state employees have the time and inclination to REALLY search the records for your ancestor, or will they keep the money and say "Not Found!" when the record is not exactly where it should be but just a few lines or pages away? Can they take the time to search for possible misspellings or decipher illegible handwriting? If ISDH gets this passed for birth records will all the other records follow suit? Is this an ill-conceived plan to punish the innocent (genealogists and others who need access to these records) instead of the guilty (those who commit fraud)? We need to ask questions, now. If you cherish your right to have all your county records available at your county courthouse, now is the time to speak up. WRITE…CALL…EMAIL… your county officials, state representative, and yes, even Governor Vilsack. If you don't speak up now, it might be too late. Richard Harrison IAGEN-L List Owner: IAGEN-L@rootsweb.com
If you are NOT an Iowa resident it is just as important, if not more so, that you also be heard. Remind the legislators of the money you spend when you are in your county of interest to do research. Not only are you providing revenue to the county for copy fees, etc. You are also spending money in their motels, eating establishments, shops, and other area tourist attractions. PLEASE contact one of these legislators and express the importance of having the birth records remain open. Send an email to: keith_weigel@legis.state.ia.us
 CONTACT INFORMATION The Honorable Governor Vilsack The web page below has links to District Maps and to
the emails of all the Iowa Senators and Representatives.
Send an email to the ones representing your county of
interest: We will post the bill number and the names of committee members as soon as that information is available. Please forward this message to:
The following article was written in the Ancestry Newsletter from today's ancestry news letter: IOWA PUBLIC RECORDS AND OTHER RECORD PRESERVATION AND ACCESS ISSUES: SUGGESTED STEPS FOR ACTION <><>><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> In the past week or two, word has been circulating regarding the possible closure of Iowa birth records. You may have also seen some conflicting information on the subject, some of which may or may not be completely accurate. While it has been confirmed that there is some legislation pending, the status of that legislation and exactly what it will mean for family historians is still under investigation by the Records Preservation and Access Committee (RP&A). The RP&A is a joint effort of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) and the National Genealogical Society (NGS). The Committee is currently working with the Iowa Genealogical Society to gather the necessary information and determine the best course of action. The Ancestry Daily News will keep you informed of any recommendations that they make as soon as the details are available. The FGS/NGS Records Preservation and Access Committee is intended "to advise the genealogical community on ensuring proper access to vital records, on means to affect legislation, and on supporting strong records preservation policies and practices." It serves as a central information point and helps coordinate the efforts of individuals and societies who can have a tremendous impact on these problems. Having this central point of contact is very important in allowing the genealogical community to become involved in a well-organized and effective effort. These organizations represent societies and individual genealogists across the country and the numbers of people represented carry a great deal of weight. This central point of contact, allows information to be gathered and disseminated in an accurate and effective way. The Committee suggests the following "Suggested Steps for Action on Records Preservation and Access Issues" (reprinted with permission). SUGGESTED STEPS FOR ACTION ON RECORDS PRESERVATION AND ACCESS ISSUES The destruction, deterioration, restricted access, disposal, or disappearance of records is an increasing problem. What can you do if you become aware of a situation that threatens a record collection or access to records? One individual acting in a timely manner is usually the key first step in preventing a records disaster from happening. You can be that individual, but don't panic--an excited, emotional response is not likely to get you very far. Get the facts and formulate a rational, effective plan of action. The suggestions below will keep you on track and help you inform and involve others in working on the problem. 1. Obtain as much specific and accurate information as you can about the problem and its causes. 2. If necessary, do a little quick research so you understand the laws or regulations that may govern the collection or records involved. 3. Explain the situation, as you understand it, to others in your area who may be knowledgeable and concerned. This should include your local genealogical society, historical society, and possibly elected officials. Discuss the situation and possible options, solicit their opinions, and urge them to act also. Ask your local genealogical society to take further steps, as appropriate, and also to make the state genealogical organization aware of the situation. 4. Share the information you have found in a clear, factual, non-threatening manner. You can be courteous while remaining firm and persistent in your concern. 5. Compose a notice summarizing the situation for your society's newsletter or quarterly, if there is time to wait for that. Indicate the options and suggested action for the society members. Make an announcement of the same information at your society's next meeting. Ask permission to post the information at libraries, historical societies, and other appropriate locations. Print that notice on brightly colored paper. 6. If there is not a society meeting or publication, ask your society board to consider a special informational mailing, if the situation is serious and urgent enough to justify that action. 7. Marshall your fellow individual genealogists. Your voices will be better heard in large numbers. Urge them to be firm but reasonable in their letters and phone calls, and to indicate their long-term concern in this and other records issues. Genealogical computer bulletin boards are a quick way to contact people. 8. Contact others within your society and beyond who might have some influence in the process or the outcome of the issue. This includes not only community movers and shakers, and the media, but the average taxpayers as well. 9. Notify the FGS/NGS Records Preservation and Access Committee of the situation, and keep the Committee advised of developments and outcome. Send your notifications to: FGS-RP&A 10. Indicate to all involved the desire to resolve this issue, and then stay involved and cooperate to develop, in advance, plans that will help prevent and resolve issues regarding records in the future. If you are willing to volunteer your suggestions or assistance to the FGS/NGS Records Preservation and Access Committee, please contact the committee at the above mentioned address.
The following is a letter from Betty Soukup State Legislator about an inquiry made to her on this subject: Thank you for your interest in the proposed change in the procedure relating to copies of birth records. This initiative will be part of the Department of Public Health's legislative package for the 2000 session. I have spoken with officials in the Department of Public Health to hear their rationale for this change. They have indicated that under current law anyone can walk into a county courthouse and look at birth records. Their concern stems, not from wanting to restrict access to such records, but from a history of abuse by those seeking to establish false identities. I understand your concern, but there is a specific problem the Department is trying to address and the Legislature will have to evaluate the arguments. I am unsure how to address this issue, but the Department has indicated they are willing to discuss alternatives. Thank you again for sharing your views with me. Sincerely, Email from another concerned party: Once again our government has found the wrong solution to the right problem. Take away from all the good people of this land and punish them, so the guilty ones are not tempted to do ill deeds. Don't punish anyone for stealing these records, just take them away so no one can have them. Richard Harrison was right in his message when he talked about sending money for a record, they will come back and say NONE WAS FOUND and charge you the fee whether they looked or not. It happens in Illinois. Below is the address for Governor Vilsack. There is a
place on his website for emails. Let's go to the TOP MAN
with our complaints. It is best to stay away from genealogy but talk about not punishing the innocent, but punishing those who steal identities. If you want to talk genealogy mention how much money you spend when you come to Iowa to research. To keep updated on this issue, be sure to join the Iowa SIGs (which are combined with Illinois and Indiana) on Tuesday nights in the Root Cellar at 9pm EST. This is in regards to IOWA unfortunately we have similar problem in OHIO. I have data in my OGS newsletter. Email me if you would like a copy. GFS Susi |
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