Section 7-51a - Copies of vital records. Access to vital records by members of genealogical societies. Marriage and civil union licenses. Death certificates. Issuance of certified copies of electronically filed certificates(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 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 of genealogical societies incorporated or authorized by the Secretary of the State to do business or conduct affairs in this state shall (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, surrogacy agreements and parentage, (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. 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.(b) For marriage and civil union licenses, the Social Security numbers of the parties to the marriage or civil union shall be recorded in the "administrative purposes" section of the marriage or civil union license and the application for such license. All persons specified on the license, including the parties to the marriage or civil union, officiator and local registrar shall have access to the Social Security numbers specified on the marriage or civil union license and the application for such license for the purpose of processing the license. Only the parties to a marriage or civil union, or entities authorized by state or federal law, may receive a certified copy of a marriage or civil union license with the Social Security numbers included on the license. Any other individual, researcher or state or federal agency requesting a certified or uncertified copy of any marriage or civil union license in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be provided such copy with such Social Security numbers removed or redacted, or with the "administrative purposes" section omitted.(c) For deaths occurring on or after July 1, 1997, the Social Security number of the deceased person shall be recorded in the "administrative purposes" section of the death certificate. Such administrative purposes section, and the Social Security number contained therein, shall be restricted and disclosed only to the following eligible parties: (1) All parties specified on the death certificate, including the informant, licensed funeral director, licensed embalmer, conservator, surviving spouse, physician or advanced practice registered nurse and town clerk, for the purpose of processing the certificate, (2) the surviving spouse,(4) any state and federal agencies authorized by federal law. The department shall provide any other individual, researcher or state or federal agency requesting a certified or uncertified death certificate, or the information contained within such certificate, for a death occurring on or after July 1, 1997, such certificate or information. The decedent's Social Security number shall be removed or redacted from such certificate or information or the administrative purposes section shall be omitted from such certificate.(d) The registrar of vital statistics of any town or city in this state that has access to an electronic vital records system, as authorized by the department, may use such system to issue certified copies of birth, death, fetal death or marriage certificates that are electronically filed in such system.(P.A. 80-280; P.A. 96-258 , S. 3 ; P.A. 00-92 , S. 3 ; P.A. 01-163 , S. 13 ; P.A. 08-66 , S. 4 ; 08-184 , S. 49 ; P.A. 18-168 , S. 6 .)
Amended by P.A. 22-0037, S. 6 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2022 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2022.Amended by P.A. 22-0058, S. 31 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2022 Regular Session, eff. 5/23/2022.Amended by P.A. 21-0015, S. 91 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2021 Regular Session, eff. 1/1/2022.Amended by P.A. 21-0002, S. 156 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2021 Special Session, eff. 10/1/2021.Amended by P.A. 19-0098, S. 15 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2019 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2019.Amended by P.A. 18-0168, S. 6 of the Connecticut Acts of the 2018 Regular Session, eff. 10/1/2018.