07 LC 28
3352
House
Bill 284
By:
Representatives Hatfield of the
177th
and Lindsey of the
54th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 31-10-25 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to disclosure of information contained in vital records, so as to provide that
social security numbers shall be redacted from vital records and withheld from
public inspection; to provide for exceptions; to provide for related matters; to
repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 31-10-25 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
disclosure of information contained in vital records, is amended by revising the
Code section as follows:
"31-10-25.
(a)
To protect the integrity of vital records, to ensure their proper use, and to
ensure the efficient and proper administration of the system of vital records,
it shall be unlawful for any person to permit inspection of, or to disclose
information contained in vital records or to copy or issue a copy of all or part
of any such record except as authorized by this chapter and by regulation or by
order of a court of competent jurisdiction. Regulations adopted under this Code
section shall provide for adequate standards of security and confidentiality of
vital records. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to court
records or indexes of marriage licenses, divorces, and annulments of marriages
filed as provided by law.
(b)
The department shall authorize by regulation the disclosure of information
contained in vital records for research
purposes;
provided, however, that, with the exception of certified copies provided under
Code Section 31-10-26, social security numbers contained in vital records shall
be redacted and withheld from public inspection and
copying.
(c)
Appeals from decisions of custodians of vital records, as designated under
authority of Code Section 31-10-6, who refuse to disclose information or to
permit inspection or copying of records as prescribed by this Code section and
regulations issued under this Code section shall be made to the state registrar
whose decisions shall be binding upon such custodians.
(d)
Information in vital records indicating that a birth occurred out of wedlock
shall not be disclosed except as provided by regulation or upon the order of a
court of competent jurisdiction.
(e)
When 100 years have elapsed after the date of birth or 75 years have elapsed
after the date of death or application for marriage, or divorce, dissolution of
marriage, or annulment, the records of these events in the custody of the state
registrar shall be transferred to the State Archives and such information shall
be made available in accordance with regulations which shall provide for the
continued safekeeping of the records.
(f)
Official copies of records of deaths, applications for marriages and marriage
certificates, divorces, dissolutions of marriages, and annulments located in the
counties shall remain accessible to the public. While in the temporary custody
of the probate court before transmission to the state registrar or confirmation
of transmission or receipt, application supplement-marriage report forms shall
not be available for public inspection or copying or admissible in any court of
law."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.