Copying, making available, and required notices on, certain vital records. (FE)

What it does

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Current law contains certain provisions addressing the preparation and issuance of vital records and the authorized copying of vital records. Vital records include certificates of birth, death, divorce, or annulment, and termination of domestic partnership, marriage documents, and declarations of domestic partnership. Some of these provisions make a distinction based upon whether the event that is the subject of a record occurred before October 1, 1907. Current law provides for the issuance of certified and uncertified copies of vital records by the state registrar appointed by the Department of Health Services (state registrar) or a local registrar, subject to various restrictions, and for the issuance of uncertified copies of vital records for events occurring before October 1, 1907, by other persons, such as the State Historical Society. Certified copies of vital records include a certification including the seal of the issuing officer, are deemed the same as the original vital record, and, with certain exceptions, are regarded as being presumptive evidence of any fact stated in the vital record. Uncertified copies do not have the same status or certification as certified records and have a notice on their face that they are uncertified.

Current law provides that any person who makes available to the public in electronic format an uncertified photocopy of a vital record for an event occurring before October 1, 1907, other than a vital record held by the state registrar or a local registrar, is guilty of a Class I felony. Current law does not specifically prohibit making any other vital records available to the public in electronic format, but it does provide that, subject to certain exceptions, any person who prepares or issues any paper or film which purports to be, or carries the appearance of, an original or a copy of a vital record, whether certified or uncertified, also is guilty of a Class I felony.

Who's behind it

14 lawmakers are its authors⁠. 7 are Democrats and 7 are Republicans.

6 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.

What it would cost

State agencies filed a cost estimate. Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

• Fiscal Estimate From DHS

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

• Amendment Histories
• LC Amendment Memo