An Act To Amend Maine's Death Certificate Disclosure Law
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §2706, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2011, c. 58, §1, is further amended to read:
5. Records disclosed. Certified or noncertified copies of vital records of a person must be made available at any reasonable time upon that person's request or the request of that person's spouse, registered domestic partner, descendant, parent or guardian, grandparent, sibling, stepparent, stepchild, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, personal representative or that person's duly designated attorney or agent or attorney for an agent designated by that person or by a court having jurisdiction over that person whether the request be made in person, by mail, by telephone or otherwise, if the state registrar is satisfied as to the identity of the requester and, if an attorney or agent, if the state registrar is satisfied as to the attorney's or agent's authority to act as that person's agent or attorney. If the agent or attorney has been appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction, or the attorney's or agent's appearance for the person is entered therein, the state registrar shall upon request so ascertain by telephone call to the register, clerk or recorder of the court, and this must be deemed sufficient justification to compel compliance with the request for the record. Certified or noncertified copies of the death certificate of a minor's parent must be made available at any reasonable time upon the request of that minor's living parent, as defined in Title 19-A, section 1832, subsection 13, if the requester's parental rights with respect to that minor have not been terminated and the state registrar is satisfied as to the identity of the requester. The state registrar shall, as soon as possible, designate persons in the Office of Data, Research and Vital Statistics who may act in the state registrar's absence or, in case of the state registrar's disqualification, to carry out the intent of this subsection. A record of birth, death, fetal death, marriage, divorce or domestic partner registration may be disclosed as necessary for the department to carry out its responsibilities.
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 127th Legislature, Second Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.