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The state Capitol building
Photo: File PhotoThe state Capitol building
The state Capitol building
The state Capitol building
There are a lot of high profile issues on the slate in Connecticut. We’re all aware of cannabis legalization and tolls. Behind the scenes there is another issue I’ve been working on for three years that receives no media attention — the reckless ease of access to birth records.
Connecticut General Statute 7-51 states that anyone’s child, grandchild, spouse, parent, guardian or grandparent can access their birth certificate. This leaves your birth certificate, a document that can easily be used to assume your identity, much more vulnerable than any of your other personal or medical information. In fact, all you need to get a copy of someone’s Social Security card is a copy of their birth certificate — opening to the door to all types of fraud and theft. Even your most basic of medical information is not entrusted to your child, grandchild, spouse, parent or grandparent without written consent. It seems like common sense, but unfortunately, in the state of Connecticut, your cholesterol level or blood pressure is more protected than your birth certificate, and from there, your Social Security number.
Not included in this statue is any sort of security or safety clause or any way to revoke this right. This means even if the relative in question has a well-documented history of financial, sexual or violent crimes, there is still nothing you can do under Connecticut law to withdraw their access to your or your child’s birth certificate. The whole idea of having a statute this open-ended and open to abuse is completely absurd on its face.
So, for the third year in a row, I have been reaching out to various Connecticut legislators, urging them to address this. Unfortunately, Connecticut is way behind. Many states have already tightened their laws, making birth certificates only available to those specifically named on the document. Maine goes as far as to specifically outline on their website the fact that birth certificates are a highly sensitive document that makes identity theft incredibly easy. Unfortunately, for the third year in a row, I am being told by senators and representatives that this is not anywhere on their priority list.
Let’s be perfectly clear: There are plenty of good reasons that anyone would want to protect their personal information, but you shouldn’t need one. It should be a basic right afforded to us by our government.
The handling of this situation proves that even small-town politics are not unlike those in Washington. Perception is more important than reality, and doing the right thing is often completely overlooked if there are no political points to score or positive publicity to reap. I’ve been told by the head of the Judiciary Committee that this issue is unapproachable because it would be perceived as an “attack on grandparents.” I’ve been given numerous assignments and goals to meet, and heard, “We need to hear from others in the community,” or “we need to do further research.”
Each time, these goals are exceeded, and the same result occurs. Regardless of how many other concerned citizens write or reach out, Connecticut politicians would rather keep our and our children’s personal information at risk than address an obvious issue. They are so scared of imaginary bad publicity that will never occur, that they cannot bring themselves to do what is obviously the right thing, and what all residents of Connecticut deserve — control over their own and their children’s personal information.
I’ve been advocating for this for three years. It’s time for those in power to step up and do the right thing.
Matthew Eterginio lives in Bantam.
"Opinion" - Google News
March 04, 2020 at 01:54AM
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Opinion: State must protect our records - New Haven Register
"Opinion" - Google News
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