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 your driver’s license.
Who has access to Marriage and Death** Records?
q Any person (documents
subject to the Freedom of Information Act)
**Death records after 1 July 1997 may be restricted because of the Social Security number on them. All people may obtain copies of death records dated after 1 July 1997, but the Social Security numbers may be redacted. However, genealogists have full access to all death records and the Social Security confidentiality rule does not apply to them.
The Connecticut Professional
Genealogists Council, Inc.
This page was last modified 10 May 2006