Members of the Connecticut
Professional Genealogists Council, Inc., initiated the
legislation that became known as Public Act 96-258. It clarified and augmented
existing laws pertaining to the access to Vital Records in
The 1996 bill signing in the
office of Governor John G. Rowland (seated).
From left (standing), state
Senator Tim Upson (R-Waterbury), Robert L. Rafford, Kathryn Black, Warren D.
Buchanan and Barbara Mathews.
The
Connecticut Professional Genealogists Council, Inc., has worked hard to assure
that records are open to you. We ask
that you treat records and those who safeguard them for our use with utmost
care and respect. The bill that went
into effect October 1, 1996 authorizes access to vital records as follows:
Who has access to Birth Records?
1. Birth records more than 100
years old:
q Any person
2. Birth records less than 100
years old:
q Person who is the subject of
the birth certificate
q Parent or Guardian, or
Grandparent if a minor
q Spouse or children
q Chief elected official of
municipality or agent
q Local Health Director
q Attorneys and title
examiners
q Members of incorporated
genealogical societies or societies authorized to conduct business in
q Persons authorized by court
order
q State or federal agency
authorized by State Commissioner of Public Health
*The Public Health Code specifies that, for genealogists accessing birth records less than 100 years old, you will be asked for identification, including your genealogical society membership and a picture form of identification, usually your driver license.
Who has access to Marriage and Death Records?
q Any person
Death, birth and marriage records after 1 July 1997
are restricted because of the Social Security numbers on them. All people may obtain copies of death records
dated after 1 July 1997, but the Social Security numbers will be redacted. Genealogists have full access to all birth,
marriage and death records but the Social Security confidentiality rule still
applies.
The Connecticut Professional Genealogists Council,
Inc.
This page was last modified 20 November 2009