Monday, May 16, 2011

Legislative Alert: Vital Records

The Legislative Watch Chairperson of the California State Genealogical Alliance (CSGA) sent the following alert:

Assemblymember Gordon has introduced AB 1053 which has been referred to the Committee on Appropriations. Hearing will held on Wednesday, May 18th.

This bill would raise the basic fee for certified copies of vital records by $9 from the current $3. In other words, $9 will be added to the current fee for vital records. Example: If a county currently charges $19 for a birth record, the new fee would be $28. This is an enormous increase!

For questions regarding various fee elements being charged for vital record copies, please reference the pie chart in the 2011 Jan-Feb CSGA newsletter (member login required). The basic fee is being increased and added to other surcharges and program fees.

This increase would affect all vital records regardless of when the records were created. It is unfortunate that the increase would also apply to records created prior to 1906.

The full text of the bill is here.  The pertinent bill text is in Section 5. Use your computer's "find" function to search for "SEC. 5" without quotes.   The list State Assembly Appropriations Committee members is here.  The roster of State Assembly Members is here.

Today and tomorrow [May 16-17], you may wish to contact your Assemblymember, Assemblymember Gordon, or members of the Committee to object to this proposed fee increase as 'unreasonable' before it goes to committee on Wednesday.

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