Statute Text
Issuance of certified copies of records; applicant qualifications.
(1)(a) A certified copy of a
record of live birth or any part of a record of live birth that is issued under
this section shall be considered the same as the original record of live birth
and is prima facie evidence of the facts stated on the certified copy. However,
the evidentiary value of a certified copy of a record of live birth submitted
more than one year after the birth, an amended record of live birth or a record
of foreign live birth must be determined by the judicial or administrative body
or official before whom the certified copy is offered as evidence.
(b) A certified
copy of a record of death, fetal death, marriage, domestic partnership,
dissolution of marriage or dissolution of domestic partnership or any part of
such records that is issued under this section shall be considered the same as
the original record of death, fetal death, marriage, domestic partnership,
dissolution of marriage or dissolution of domestic partnership and is prima
facie evidence of the facts stated on the certified copy.
(2)(a) The State
Registrar of the Center for Health Statistics shall require an applicant for a
certified copy to submit a signed application, documentation of identity and
evidence of eligibility.
(b)(A) Upon
receipt of an application, the state registrar shall review the documentation
of identity provided by the applicant. The documentation must be acceptable to
the state registrar and, at a minimum, include:
(i) Government
issued identification that includes a photograph;
(ii) At least
three forms of identification; or
(iii)
Identification submitted through an electronic process adopted by the state
registrar by rule.
(B) Forms of
identification that may be submitted under subparagraph (A)(ii) of this
paragraph include, but are not limited to, letters from government or social
agencies, payroll statements, utility bills, student identification with a
photograph or other items acceptable to the state registrar.
(c)(A) Upon
receipt of an application, the state registrar shall review the evidence of
eligibility provided by the applicant. Evidence of eligibility submitted under
this subsection may consist of copies of vital records establishing
eligibility, court documents establishing eligibility or alternate methods
identified and accepted by the state registrar. Evidence of eligibility must
demonstrate that the applicant is qualified to receive a certified copy.
(B) To be
qualified, an applicant must be:
(i) Eighteen
years of age or older or an emancipated minor or, if the applicant is
requesting to receive a certified copy of the applicants own record of live
birth, 15 years of age or older;
(ii) If the
applicant is requesting a certified copy of a record of live birth, the
registrant, the registrants spouse, domestic partner who is registered by the
state, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, legal guardian or legal
representative, an authorized representative or a government agency acting in
the conduct of its official duties;
(iii) If the
applicant is requesting a certified copy of a record of death, the decedents
spouse, domestic partner who is registered by the state, child, parent,
sibling, grandparent, grandchild, next of kin, legal guardian immediately
before death or legal representative, an authorized representative, a person in
charge of disposition, a government agency acting in the conduct of its
official duties, an employee or agent of a funeral home or person acting as a
funeral service practitioner who is named in the record of death or a person
that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the state registrar that the certified
copy is necessary for a determination related to or the protection of a
personal or property right of the applicant;
(iv) If the
applicant is requesting a certified copy of a record of fetal death, the
parent, legal guardian, legal representative of a parent, sibling, grandparent,
an authorized representative, a person in charge of disposition, a government
agency acting in the conduct of its official duties or an employee or agent of
a funeral home or person acting as a funeral service practitioner who is named
in the record of fetal death; and
(v) If the
applicant is requesting a certified copy of a record of marriage, domestic
partnership, dissolution of marriage or dissolution of domestic partnership,
the registrant, the registrants spouse, domestic partner who is registered by
the state, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, legal guardian or
legal representative, an authorized representative or a government agency
acting in the conduct of its official duties.
(d) The state
registrar may verify documentation of identity and evidence of eligibility with
any agency that issued that documentation or evidence in reviewing an
application.
(3)
Notwithstanding subsection (2) of this section, when 100 year