We are asking for your help in a grassroots effort to have Pennsylvania make its older state death certificates much more accessible and available online

There are millions and millions of people who are into genealogy but unless we all speak up we are allowing those who don't care about genealogy decide what records we may or may not have access to. But this will not happen on its own. We need you to personally let the State of Pennsylvania know you support this cause. The more of us that speak up the more likely we are to succeed. Otherwise we could be stuck with the same old existing archaic system indefinitely.

Discussion: 

Currently, all death certificates recorded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania since 1906 have restricted access regardless of how long ago a person died. Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records regulations require the requester to supply several pieces of information (including when and where the person died), spend $9 and wait 5 weeks or longer for each and every death certificate. A requester is also required to have a direct relationship to the deceased in order to obtain a copy of a death certificate. Often a requester doesn’t know if the person is related and needs the death certificate to find out. This is especially true when compiling family histories and trying to find the descendents of a common ancestor. The information a requester is expected to supply is quite often the very information a requester is looking for and the very reason for wanting a death certificate.

Many of us have experienced the frustration of either being told the death certificate could not be found or being sent the wrong certificate. Yes, a requester can pay $34 for an extended search of up to a ten year window with the charge of an additional $25 for each extension to that search window. To say the least this is quite costly to the requester and very time consuming for the Division of Vital Records. Sadly it doesn’t always result in a successful search and the fee is not refunded.

Also Pennsylvania doesn’t have a publicly accessible index to see if the person even died in Pennsylvania. So it becomes an expensive guessing game that doesn’t always result in finding a death certificate even when the person actually died in Pennsylvania. Because of the many burdensome and counterintuitive restrictions, the public is not able to use these historic records as much as they should be able to.

We understand the concerns about privacy. However, there is no practical reason to keep all of these records restricted indefinitely. Therefore, our basic proposal is that the death certificates that would be accessible online by the public would have to be at least 50 years old. Currently that would mean only the death certificates of persons who died before 1959 would be made accessible. As each year passes the next year in line would be made accessible online to the public.

Several states have already made their older death certificates available online, including Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Texas, Utah and West Virginia. The states of Louisiana, New Hampshire and Vermont are in the process of doing so. For numerous other states there are online indexes. However, Pennsylvania has no publicly accessible index and continues the outdated and costly manual processing of each of its older death certificates one at a time.  

The Social Security Death Master File (with names, dates, places and numbers, and better known as the Social Security Death Index), which is updated weekly, is a death verification database used proactively to thwart identity theft and fraud. We understand government agencies, banks, insurance and credit card companies use it all the time to verify deaths and to stop the misuse of a deceased person's Social Security number. Expanding our proposed database to include all of Pennsylvania's death records (but with the same limited public access as outlined above) could be used in a similar manner by law enforcement and government agencies. The Division of Vital Records would itself be able to fill requests using the expanded database.

Having a database of Pennsylvania's death certificates would actually be in accordance with Federal Law 108-458, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, which requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Social Security Administration and others, to award grants to States to assist them in computerizing their birth and death records, to develop the capability to match birth and death records within and among States, and to note the fact of death on birth certificates of deceased persons.  This is done to stop someone from misusing the birth certificate of a deceased person.

Points To Consider:

The public would be much better served and genealogists, historians, professors, scientists and researchers would be able to utilize the considerable amount of data contained in these numerous historic records in a way that is light years removed from the current limited access system. As indicated above, government itself would also be able to better utilize these records.

There is no practical reason all of these records should be kept confidential indefinitely especially after a fairly long lapse of time. The year of death guideline addresses privacy concerns.

In the long run, having death records in a database would be a cost savings to the Commonwealth and it gets away from the antiquated system of manually processing each request one at a time.

Because there is no comprehensive index for death records before 1960 (which is one of the reasons the requester is required to supply the place and date of death) the requests for the records from those years are probably the most time consuming requests and therefore the most costly requests for Vital Records to fill. By placing these old records into an online database it would relieve Vital Records of what are probably the most burdensome records. Vital Records could then do what it needs to do and concentrate on newer business rather than acting as an archive for old vital records.

There is no real reason the public should not have access to an index for all of Pennsylvania's death certificates that includes only the names of the deceased and dates of death. Because the public would be able to find what they want so much more easily and with less guessing they would more likely send in more requests for death certificates. Requests for certificates less than 50 years old would still have all of the same restrictions and requirements already in place.

The public would be able to readily compile family medical histories which if done thoroughly would not only include parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents (a total of 30 in itself) but all of their siblings as well (which all tolled can easily exceed 100). At $9 a piece that could be, to say the least, quite costly for a person to learn his or her complete family medical history. Here is a link to a U.S. Department of Health & Human Services webpage in which the U.S. Surgeon General talks about the importance of people learning about their family medical history: http://www.hhs.gov/familyhistory/

Being able to more easily find their Pennsylvania Roots could spark an interest on the part of out of state residents and induce them to come to Pennsylvania to discover more about their Pennsylvania Heritage.

Here is example of how much more these records would be used if they were open to the public: according to what we have learned from the Missouri State Archives, before setting up their online database, their state's Vital Records Division received approximately 5,000 requests per year for death certificates more than 50 years old. In the first 18 months after setting up their online database for these older death certificates they had 8.8 million searches for death certificates. We have no doubt if Pennsylvania had such a database it would be several times more popular and utilized.

Other states have already made their death certificates available online.  Why not Pennsylvania?

 How You Can Help:

We are asking you to contact certain Pennsylvania state officials, preferably in writing or in person since it will have the most impact, but at least by phone or email. The Pennsylvania State Legislature would have to change the law. The Governor would have to approve any change and the Pennsylvania Department of Health would have to implement any change. If you live in Pennsylvania please contact both your state senator and your state representative in person, by letter, by phone, by fax or at the very least by email. Everyone, including out of state residents, should write, phone or at the very least email Governor Rendell and even the Division of Vital Records.

Naturally the more letters and other forms of contact that are made and the more people involved the better. The more serious you are about wanting this the more serious the politicians will be in doing something. After all if you don't consider this cause important enough to do something why should they. Remaining silent will change nothing and we will be stuck with the same old restricted system indefinitely. This will only happen with your help. And yes each you can send more than one message or letter and as often as you wish.

Remember, if you live in Pennsylvania, to send Governor Rendell, your state representative and state senator each the same message. It is important that all three know of your support for this issue. You want to convince all three to support this cause. Writing to one is not the same as writing to all three as they do not generally share the information. If you live outside of Pennsylvania send a message to Governor Rendell.

Feel free to include in your letters your own personal dealings with the Pennsylvania Division of Vital Records and the frustrations you have with the current system. Letting them know why this important to you and how this personally affects you can be the most convincing part of your message.

If you send an email please include where you are from so your email will be taken more seriously by those who receive it. When you email us it helps us to know where you are from.

Contact information for Governor Edward G. Rendell:

Governor Edward G. Rendell's Office
225 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, PA 17120

Telephone 717-787-2500

Facsimile: 717-772-8284

Additional Ways You Can Help:

Targeting The Important Legislative Committee Members: While it is very important that you write to the state legislators that represent your own district it wouldn't hurt if everyone, including out-of-state residents, were to send additional letters to members of the state legislative committees that will deal with this issue. Getting their approval, especially the chairpersons, is especially important since any legislation must be approved by the respective committees before it can be debated and voted on by the entire legislature (see attached list of addresses).

Getting Historical or Genealogy Societies Involved: We could use your help getting such organizations to support and endorse this cause. While a number of these organizations have been very helpful and have already endorsed this cause others have been slow in helping or less than cooperative. Hearing from people, especially their own members, may help to get them to take this cause more seriously.

Getting other people Involved: We suggest you let as many other people you as you can know about this cause and encourage them to get involved even if it is to just to write a letter or send an email. Don't forget about relatives especially ones who live in Pennsylvania. Try to get your spouse's name and signature on any letters you send.

If you would like to do more please let us know:  timarg@rcn.com.

About PaHR-Access:

PaHR-Access (People for Better Pennsylvania Historical Records Access) is strictly a grassroots organization started in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania in August of 2007. It was first known as People for Better Access to Pennsylvania Historical Records (PBAPHR). The name change took place in early November 2007 to allow for a more pronounceable acronym (i.e. par-access).

 We are ordinary people who literally want to have better access to Pennsylvania's historical records. Our main concern is the restricted state death certificates. There are no membership dues merely the willingness to help in this effort. PaHR-Access is not affiliated with any political, commercial, institutional or religious organization whatsoever. Website contents designed and composed by Tim Gruber with input from Dale Berger and others. If you have any questions or concerns please contact our spokesperson:

Tim Gruber

 timarg@rcn.com

Division of Vital Records     

101 South Mercer Street                                                      

PO Box 1528  

New Castle, PA  16101

Telephone:  1-877-PA-HEALTH or (724) 656-3100 

Facsimile:   (724) 652-8951 

 

Look at the chart below to determine your PA Representative and Senator. Find their addresses below the table.

 

McIlhinney, Charles T. Jr.             cmcilhinney@pasen.gov   

22 South Main Street                            Senate Box 203010

Suite 220                                            187 Main Capitol

Doylestown, PA.  18901                         Harrisburg, PA.  17120-3010

 

Tomlinson, Robert M.                                 rtomlinson@pasen.gov

2222 Trenton Road                               Senate Box 203006

Suite A                                               362 Capitol Building

Levittown, PA.  19056                           Harrisburg, PA.  17120-3006

 

Wonderling, Robert C.                               rwonderling@pasen.gov

427 West Main Street                            Senate Box 203024

Lansdale, PA.  19446                             281 Capitol Building

                                                         Harrisburg, PA.  17120-3024

 

Greenleaf, Stewart J.                                 sgreenleaf@pasen.gov

711 York Road                                      Senate Box 203012

Willow Grove, PA.  19090                       19 East Wing

                                                         Harrisburg, PA.  17120-3012

Hon. Marguerite Quinn

1032 North Easton Road                          Room 164-A East Wing

Doylestown, PA 18902-1055                    P.O. Box 202143

Harrisburg, PA 17120-2143

Hon. Gene DiGirolamo
2444 Bristol Road                                   49 East Wing

Neshaminy Valley Commons                     P.O. Box 202018

Bensalem, PA 19020                               Harrisburg, PA.  17120-2018

Hon. John T. Galloway
8610 New Falls Road                              One North Wilson Avenue

Levittown, PA 19054                              Suite 6

                                                                        Bristol, PA.  19007

104 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202140
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2140

Hon. Anthony J. Melio

3611 Green Lane                                  38 East Wing

Levittown, PA 19057                             P.O. Box 202141

Harrisburg, PA 17120-2141

 

Hon. Bernie O'Neill
755 York Road                                       B-8 Main Capitol Building

Suite 105                                             P.O. Box 202029

Warminster, PA 18974                            Harrisburg, PA.  17120-2029

 

Hon. Katharine M. Watson
1410 West Street Road                           B-16 Main Capitol Building

Warminster, PA 18974                            P.O. Box 202144

Harrisburg, PA 17120-2144

Hon. Paul I. Clymer
311 North 7th Street                              216 Ryan Office Building

Perkasie, PA 18944                                P.O. Box 202145

                                                                        Harrisburg, PA.  17120-2145

Hon. Frank A. Farry
340 East Maple Avenue                           52-B East Wing
Suite 307                                             P.O. Box 202142
Langhorne, PA 19047                              Harrisburg, PA.  17120-2142

Hon. Scott A. Petri
95 Almshouse Road, Suite 303                  B-15 Main Capitol Building
The Weather Vane                                 P.O. Box 202178
Richboro, PA 18954                                Harrisburg, PA.  17120-2178

Hon. Steven J. Santarsiero
2 North State Street                              224 Irvis Office Building
Newtown, PA 18904                               P.O. Box 202031                                                                                              Harrisburg, PA.  17120-2031

Sample Letter

 

Dear [Representative, Senator, or Governor ____________]

 

I am writing to you concerning the accessibility of death certificates from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

 

As a genealogist and family historian, I, along with many others, rely on a variety of source documents to reconstruct family trees.  One of the documents of particular importance in this research is death certificates. The information contained in death certificates such as the names of the parents of the deceased person is invaluable and often cannot be found anywhere else.

 

Presently, regardless of how long ago the person died all requests for death certificates from the Pennsylvania Department of Health require supplying several pieces of information on the person (including when and where the person died), the expenditure of $9 and a wait of 5 weeks or longer for each and every death certificate. Very often the information I am expected to supply is the very information I am looking for and the reason for wanting a death certificate. I am also expected to show a direct relationship to the deceased. I don’t always know if the person is related and often need the death certificate to find out. To say the least the many burdensome and counterintuitive restrictions make doing family history research rather frustrating and expensive.

 

I understand the concerns about identity theft and privacy. However, there is no practical reason to keep all of these records restricted from public access indefinitely.  Death certificates made accessible on the Internet could be limited to only those at least 50 years old. Currently that would mean only the death certificates of persons who died before 1959 would be made accessible online. As each year passes the next year in line would be added to this online database.

 

Several states have already made their older death certificates available online, including Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Texas, Utah and West Virginia. Numerous other states have online indexes. However, Pennsylvania has no publicly accessible index and continues the outdated and costly manual processing of each of its older death certificates one at a time. Without an index it can become an expensive (since fees are not refunded) and not always successful guessing game.

 

In the interest of providing considerably better service to the public, allowing far greater use of these historic records by the public and the long-run cost savings to the state, I request your help in making whatever changes necessary in the law and the system to make the older death certificate information available on the Internet. Several states have already taken this action.  Why not Pennsylvania?  

 

Yours Truly

 

[your signature, name and address]