In 1997 a bill was passed by the Virginia legislature directing clerks of circuit courts to make public records available on the internet. Fortunately there have been changes to the bill and delays in implementing its' provisions. The majority of citizens in our state are not aware of the scope of the records maintained by the circuit court or the danger that those records may pose when they are available to anyone in the world with an internet connection. The language contained in the bill does not specify which of the records will be included and requires the records to be available two years before it requires social security numbers to be redacted. For further information you may visit [www.virginiawatchdog.com] . This bill must be repealed and our state representatives can do what must be done.
There is still time to repeal this law before irreversible damage has been done. Please contact your Virginia delegate, senator and clerk of circuit court to make clear your objections. Insist that they establish the protection of our privacy and security as their very first priority.
Phone calls to their offices are good
Letters by USPS are better
Phone calls and letters are best
Contact information for your representatives may be obtained online at [http://conview.state...].
A letter is attached that you may cut and paste if you do not want to draft a letter.
It is of the utmost importance to me that all bills mandating or allowing the availability of records from the clerk's offices of the circuit court be repealed during this session of the general assembly.
As Virginians we must weigh the balance of technological advances against our national and personal economic security. Publishing land records online, which include far more than deeds, exposes us to significant personal risk but offers us virtually nothing in return. The lobbyists who advocate for these actions imply that our state and its citizens will be put at an economic disadvantage if we fail to follow the lead of many other states. I believe the opposite is actually true. Large multi-national corporations may benefit but as Virginians it is the well being of Virginia and its citizens that should be our primary concern.
The consequences of internet access to public records;
? Personal privacy and security, lost to identity theft, mortgage and deed fraud, potential sale or theft of redacted information (data companies or their employees have sold this information in other states).
? Inability to limit access or to affectively collect full revenues due for the use of the official sites
? Job loss and resulting economic consequences; research and mtg professionals, paralegals, court employees. These Virginians will lose their jobs so that multi national corporations can prosper at our expense.
? Loss of tax revenue for income taxes and business licenses, this income will be earned in another country, but the resulting product will be sold in this state to its citizens. The normal cycle of economic activity is disrupted. Taxes will increase to cover the continuing cost of government.
We establish and adjust our personal boundaries on a continuing basis; can we do less as a people? Clearly we do not allow our policy and legislative agendas to be determined solely by what is possible. In any number of contentious decisions voters have made choices about what is right for themselves and their neighbors. Whether moral or practical in nature the decisions have always been about the best interest of Virginians. Allowing worldwide access to public records is not in our interest and must be stopped