Concerns over identity theft have convinced yet one more state to consider limiting access to its vital records. The battle has now moved to Massachusetts, where legislators are considering a bill, H-3643, which would restrict access to certified birth (post-1910) and marriage records (post-1950) to the registrants, spouses, children, parents, guardians, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, executors, authorized legal representatives and genealogists designated by any of these people. The measure would limit access to certified death certificates (post-1950) to parents, guardians, executors, lawyers or designees of the parents. It would also impose restrictions on electronic database and index access to these records.

Genealogists are fighting back, with a competing bill, H-3448, filed by state Rep. Stephen LeDuc, that would create a special category of "special certified" birth, marriage and death records that would provide the same information as a regular certificate, but could not be used for legal purposes.

Read more in the MetroWest Daily News.