Do you know about historically or genealogically important public records that have limited public access, or no public access? If so, please take our survey, so we can investigate and update our to-do list.
Do you know about historically or genealogically important public records that have limited public access, or no public access? If so, please take our survey, so we can investigate and update our to-do list.
PLEASE NOTE: Generally speaking, a records index or finding aid is usually much more likely to fall under Freedom of Information Law purview than the actual records or vital records certificates. For example, a limited-information marriage records index may be available under a state’s FOI laws, although the actual marriage certificates or licenses may have strict privacy laws preventing their release.
Adoption records are almost always sealed under strict privacy laws, and state FOI laws can’t override those.
Cemetery records are generally private, as they are owned by the cemetery themselves, and are not governmental records subject to state FOI laws — unless it’s a public city cemetery.
This survey is looking for information about specific genealogical record sets you believe to be wrongly withheld from the public. It’s not for reporting the names of your family members. Reclaim The Records is interested in open records advocacy, not your personal family tree. 🙂
But it wasn't internal archives staff doing most of the original scanning, it was a separate group under a publicly-available contract with the city.
Did the Archives allow the contractors to just...not scan millions of records? Without a plan or penalty?
https://twitter.com/JimBooth975/status/1787941848247382059
Good grief you guys. In Michigan, a bipartisan bill is moving to make the legislature subject to the public records law. Here in NJ, our Legislature -- which is exempt from OPRA--is moving to gut OPRA, with bipartisan support.
A Pierce County WA judge has fined the Washington State Patrol $750K for failing to produce hundreds of records about a fatal collision. It is one of WA state's largest public records penalties in recent years. by @stimesmcarter via @seattletimes
A lawyer from San Diego is holding up the PACER class action settlement by appealing it to the Federal Circuit. If you want to follow the case, you can subscribe here:
This is a really good question. Their multi-year scanning project is using public funds, has contracts. So where are the public results?
@nycrecords, would you like to maybe answer the public? Where are the rest of the records? Can we at least get an ETA?
https://twitter.com/CyanProject1/status/1787169319304212774
This thread… power to the people. 🤗
Love it when our government gaslights us. It's great here, we're all great, thanks.
(We're on YEAR FOUR of waiting for this very agency, @USNatArchives to respond to two FOIA requests. Tweets like this aren't informative, they're functionally lies.)
https://twitter.com/FOIA_Ombuds/status/1786377669371703467
Hit the genealogy jackpot 👍.
We finally found the British war baby of a Canadian soldier killed in Italy in 1944. The soldier’s brother’s descendants discovered his letters, photos, memorabilia. Then reached out for help to return soldier’s legacy to his daughter after 80yrs.
Found on OPRAmachine. I guess we know why @SenatorLorettaW's OPRA/OPMA bills never even got a hearing in 2021.
(And also why they want to amend OPRA to make sure that sites like OPRAmachine can't exist anymore).
Thrilled to see the ~70% of NYC vital records that have been digitized by the city are now finally showing up on other websites, too.
But even more thrilled that those websites correctly understand that NO ONE needs @nycrecords' "permission" to do it. 😁
https://blog.myheritage.com/2024/05/myheritage-releases-new-york-city-birth-marriage-and-death-record-collections/
2 months ago
4 months ago
5 months ago
Reclaim The Records is an IRS-recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Our EIN is 81-4985446. Contact us at [email protected]
Support us through Amazon Smile