[SOA] Open Access to Ohio Historical Records

[Heise, Robin]

Hello list,

The SOA Advocacy Committee had their first meeting yesterday and one of the items that was discussed was the CARMA (County Archivists and Records Managers Association) Legislative Committee's work on a proposal to amend ORC 149.43.  This proposal would lift any access restrictions on records with permanent retention after 100 years from the date of their creation (please see information below).  As we were discussing this proposal, it occurred to us that this proposal might impact records housed in other repositories, other than just County Records Centers, throughout the state.

Please take a few minutes to read the summary, see below, of the policy proposal and feel free to share your thoughts with the list.

Thanks.
Robin

Robin Heise
Public Outreach Coordinator
Greene County Records Center and Archives
535 Ledbetter Rd.
Xenia, OH  45385
Phone:  (937) 562-6489
Fax:  (937) 562-6485
Email:  rheise at co.greene.oh.us<mailto:rheise at co.greene.oh.us>
Website:  www.co.greene.oh.us/archives<http://www.co.greene.oh.us/archives>


Open Access to Ohio Historical Records

Policy Proposal
To amend ORC 149.43 to lift any access restrictions on records with permanent retention after
100 years from the date of their creation.

Background
The County Archivists and Records Managers Association (CARMA) Legislative Committee is
seeking this amendment in order to provide the public with access to important historical information, which is currently unavailable.  The relevant records include:


*    Adoptions
*    Lunacy Records
*    County Home Registers
*    Children's Home Registers

*    Juvenile Court Cases
*    Witness Dockets
*    Inheritance Tax Records
*    Veterans' Relief Records



These records are important as they provide valuable insight into our collective history as a state, as a society, and as families.  Research of these records is requested by historians and genealogists, both professionals and family history practitioners, for a variety of reasons.  The National Genealogical Society recently initiated a Declaration of Rights advocating for access to federal, state, and local government records, indicating that thousands of professional genealogists do research every day on behalf of clients, government agencies, and attorneys.

A few counties have already made local rulings through their Probate Court Judges opening Probate Court records after 100 years.  However, in other counties these records are permanently closed, creating a situation where records that are accessible in one county are closed in another. The closed time period of 100 years takes into consideration any complications or emotional impact that opening these records might have for certain individuals since it allows the timespan of at least one generation to have passed.  This is also in line with the Federal Government's lifting of restrictions on United States census records after 72 years.

Several other states have already passed open access legislation for similar types of historical records, including Texas, Florida, California, and Hawaii, among others.

Support
CARMA is already supported in its goal by various other organizations, including the:


*    Ohio Genealogical Society
*    Adoption Network Cleveland
*    Society of Ohio Archivists
*    Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board
*    State Archives of Ohio


Other legal and administrative bodies are also to be approached.

Contact: Kayla Harris, Chair of the CARMA Legislative Committee, and Records Manager for
Clinton County, at 937-383-3271 or clintoncountyrecords at gmail.com<mailto:clintoncountyrecords at gmail.com>











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