Bill Text: CT SB00414 | 2014 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: An Act Concerning The Department Of Public Health's Recommendations Concerning Genealogists' Access To Vital Records.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-10 - Public Hearing 03/14 [SB00414 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2014-SB00414-Introduced.html

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General Assembly		Raised Bill No. 414
February Session, 2014		LCO No. 2005
		*02005_______PH_*
Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH
Introduced by:
(PH)

AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING GENEALOGISTS' ACCESS TO VITAL RECORDS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 7-51a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2014):

(a) Any person eighteen years of age or older may purchase certified copies of marriage and death records, and certified copies of records of births or fetal deaths [which] that are at least one hundred years old, in the custody of any registrar of vital statistics. The department may issue uncertified copies of death certificates for deaths occurring less than one hundred years ago, and uncertified copies of birth, marriage, death and fetal death certificates for births, marriages, deaths and fetal deaths that occurred at least one hundred years ago, to researchers approved by the department pursuant to section 19a-25, and to state and federal agencies approved by the department. [During all normal business hours, members] Members of genealogical societies incorporated or authorized by the Secretary of the State to do business or conduct affairs in this state shall, for the purpose of conducting genealogical research (1) have full access to all vital records in the custody of any registrar of vital statistics, including certificates, ledgers, record books, card files, indexes and database printouts, except for those records containing Social Security numbers protected pursuant to 42 USC 405 (c)(2)(C), and confidential files on adoptions, gender change, gestational agreements and paternity, (2) be permitted to make notes from such records, (3) be permitted to purchase certified copies of such records, and (4) be permitted to incorporate statistics derived from such records in the publications of such genealogical societies. A registrar of vital statistics may grant a genealogist immediate access to such records or may require a genealogist to schedule an appointment to access such records, at the registrar's discretion. A registrar requiring an appointment for access to such records shall schedule such appointment as soon as reasonably practicable. For all vital records containing Social Security numbers that are protected from disclosure pursuant to federal law, the Social Security numbers contained on such records shall be redacted from any certified copy of such records issued to a genealogist by a registrar of vital statistics.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	October 1, 2014	7-51a(a)

Statement of Purpose:

To implement the Department of Public Health's recommendations concerning access to vital records by genealogists.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]