It is rare that any legislative body proposes to REDUCE the embargo periods for public domain records. However, a proposed bill in the state of Georgia may do exactly that.

The following is an announcement from the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS)) Public Records Access Monitoring Committee mailing list:

There is a bill currently in the Georgia House, HB 92, that proposes to lower the embargo periods for birth records to 100 years and death, marriage, divorce and annulment dates for vital records to 75 years respectively. The records would then be transferred to the State Archives from the State Registrar. The bill may be read at: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/58923.

Currently, the embargo periods are 125 years for birth records and 100 years from date of death, application for marriage, divorce, or annulment.

Jan Meisels Allen
Chairperson, IAJGS Public Records Access Monitoring Committee