Pennsylvania Act 2011-110 — VITAL STATISTICS LAW OF 1953 - DISCLOSURE OF PUBLIC RECORDS AFTER BIRTH OR DEATH

Act text

Session of 2011

No. 2011-110

SB 361

AN ACT

Amending the act of June 29, 1953 (P.L.304, No.66), entitled "An act providing for the administration of a statewide system of vital statistics; prescribing the functions of the State Department of Health, the State Advisory Health Board and local registrars; imposing duties upon coroners, prothonotaries, clerks of orphans' court, physicians, midwives and other persons; requiring reports and certificates for the registration of vital statistics; regulating the disposition of dead bodies; limiting the disclosure of records; prescribing the sufficiency of vital statistics records as evidence; prescribing fees and penalties; and revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto," further providing for disclosure of records.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 801 of the act of June 29, 1953 (P.L.304, No.66), known as the Vital Statistics Law of 1953, is amended to read:

Section 801. Records: Disclosure in General.--The vital statistics records of the department and of local registrars shall not be open to public inspection except as authorized by the provisions of this act and the regulations of the Advisory Health Board. Neither the department nor local registrars shall issue copies of or disclose any vital statistics record or part thereof created under the provisions of this or prior acts except in compliance with the provisions of this act and the regulations of the Advisory Health Board. When one hundred five (105) years have elapsed after the date of birth or fifty (50) years have elapsed after the date of death, the records shall become public records. To ensure the proper safekeeping of original birth records after one hundred five (105) years and death records after fifty (50) years the records shall be maintained by the State Archives.

Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

APPROVED--The 15th day of December, A.D. 2011.

TOM CORBETT