Speak out on records access
It’s starting again.
Every so often, records access — particularly access to vital records — goes on the chopping block.
And access to these critical records for family history — including medical family history — is being threatened right now, in New York.
New York law has always been tough for records access. But a new proposal from the Governor there, tucked into the proposed state budget, would have devastating effects on access to vital records — birth, marriage and death records — in the Empire State.
In short, the proposal would do three things:
• Increase fees substantially for getting a birth or death certificate and impose a per-hour search fee for retrieving and processing a genealogical records request;
• Eliminate the requirement that the state Department of Health maintain indexes of birth and death records; and
• Give discretion to the state Health Commissioner to decide when and how to release genealogical records — including increasing the closure periods for birth records from 75 years to 125 years, for death records from 50 years to 75 years and for marriage records from 50 years to 100 years.
Ugh. Ugh ugh ugh!!
Our only chance to defeat this is to speak up — all of us, in and out of New York, with a collective voice. There’s a public hearing on this proposal on February 11, so time’s a’wastin’!!
You can read the call to action from the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society (NYG&B) here. It has specific suggestions about what you might say, and specific directions on how to get it submitted.
Speak up — speak out — now for records access in New York!
Cite/link to this post: Judy G. Russell, “Call to action: New York!,” The Legal Genealogist (https://www.legalgenealogist.com/blog/ : posted 28 Jan 2025).
Thanks for the heads up. Email has been sent
Access to these critical records for family history — including medical family history — is being threatened right now, in New York.
Don’t just post here. Follow the directions in the blog post (go to the NYG&B action page) and make sure your thoughts go to the NY legislators!!
Dear Madam or Sir:
My name is Catherine M. Negrycz and I am writing to you today as a concerned citizen to provide testimony on how the proposed bill regarding “Part U – Digitize Genealogical Records” in the FY 2026 Executive Budget would impact my ability to access genealogical/community/historical records. If it wasn’t for a death certificate I found for my great great grandmother, I would never have known where in Ireland she and her husband and my great grandfather and great uncle come from. This is essential information for people. Also, knowing the reason for death is vital for our own medical treatment.
Don’t just post here. Follow the directions in the blog post (go to the NYG&B action page) and make sure your thoughts go to the NY legislators!!
Retain current standards to assist ALL residents to continue vital research
Don’t just post here. Follow the directions in the blog post (go to the NYG&B action page) and make sure your thoughts go to the NY legislators!!
Please do not block access to vital records or records that are of genealogical value. People especially need to have access to death records that can help with searching for family health issues. New York needs to maintain its’ current level of accessability. Thank you.
Don’t just post here. Follow the directions in the blog post (go to the NYG&B action page) and make sure your thoughts go to the NY legislators!!
I have searched family records for 60 years. They are so important for many reasons. Medical being the most important. Please retain all the current standards. Please assist all people in this research. Do not raise prices nor changes the years things are blocked to people. These records should be open to all.
Don’t just post here. Follow the directions in the blog post (go to the NYG&B action page) and make sure your thoughts go to the NY legislators!!
Why can’t they digitalize the early NY BMD (city or state) records and put them online or have Ancestry/Familysearch do it?
It’s not as easy as it sounds! I’m sure Ancestry and/or FamilySearch would be delighted to do this, but it’s a contractual and legal matter and digitization isn’t cheap.
Don’t just post here. Follow the directions in the blog post (go to the NYG&B action page) and make sure your thoughts go to the NY legislators!!
Please do not further limit access to records. These are very valuable for family medical history and genealogical research.
Don’t just post here. Follow the directions in the blog post (go to the NYG&B action page) and make sure your thoughts go to the NY legislators!!
Just sent email! I would also like to thank you for the blog post you did a while ago about access to New York City records. This has been invaluable for my research! Wish the entire state of New York was this easy! In case any of your readers missed it here is the link to your blog: https://www.legalgenealogist.com/2022/03/16/nyc-vitals-online/