2023 23LSO-0601
STATE OF WYOMING
HOUSE BILL NO. HB0248
Vital records-amendments.
Sponsored by: Representative(s) Zwonitzer, Dn and Chadwick and Senator(s) Case
A BILL
for
1 AN ACT relating to vital records; clarifying that vital
2 records include vital records contained in books;
3 clarifying the scope, duties and responsibilities of local
4 officials who participate in activities associated with
5 vital records; providing and amending definitions; removing
6 obsolete language; establishing a deadline for certifying
7 death files; clarifying requirements for unifying
8 marriages; requiring rulemaking; and providing for an
9 effective date.
10
11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
12
13 Section 1. W.S. 35-1-401(a)(i) through (iv) and by
14 creating new paragraphs (xvii) through (xix),
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1 35-1-404(a)(iv), 35-1-414 and 35-1-422 by creating a new
2 subsection (c) are amended to read:
3
4 35-1-401. Definitions.
5
6 (a) As used in this act:
7
8 (i) "Vital records" means records of birth,
9 death, stillbirth, marriage, and divorce, and including
10 data and any books relating thereto;
11
12 (ii) "System of vital records" includes the
13 registration, collection, preservation, amendment, and
14 certification of vital records and activities related
15 thereto including the tabulation, analysis, and publication
16 of statistical data derived from such books and records;
17
18 (iii) "Filing" means the presentation of a book,
19 certificate, report, or other record of a birth, death,
20 stillbirth, adoption, marriage, or divorce, for
21 registration by vital records services;
22
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1 (iv) "Registration" means the acceptance by
2 vital records services and the incorporation in its
3 official records of certificates, reports or other records
4 of births, deaths, stillbirths, adoption, marriages,
5 marriage books and divorces;
6
7 (xvii) "Local official" means a person elected
8 or appointed to an office in a county, city or town and who
9 is responsible for filing, registering or otherwise
10 participating in the operation of the vital records system.
11 "Local official" includes but is not limited to county
12 coroners, clerks of district court, county clerks and their
13 deputies;
14
15 (xviii) "Medical coroner" means a county coroner
16 or deputy coroner elected or appointed under W.S. 7-4-101
17 or 7-4-102;
18
19 (xix) "Reasonable time" means a period of time,
20 not to exceed seventy-two (72) hours after notification of
21 a death or stillbirth occurring, where a medical coroner
22 shall complete the medical certification of death or
23 stillbirth registration.
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1
2 35-1-404. Duties of state registrar.
3
4 (a) The state registrar shall:
5
6 (iv) Direct, supervise and control the
7 activities of local registrars and the activities of other
8 local officials related to the operation of the vital
9 records system; and provide them with necessary postage;
10
11 35-1-414. Delayed registration of death and marriage.
12
13 When a death or marriage occurring in this state has not
14 been registered, a certificate may be filed in accordance
15 with regulations of the division of rules of the department
16 of health. and medical services. The certificate shall be
17 registered subject to such evidentiary requirements as the
18 division department of health and medical services shall by
19 regulation prescribe to substantiate the alleged facts of
20 death or marriage. Certificates of death and marriage
21 registered one (1) year or more after the date of
22 occurrence shall be marked "Delayed" and shall show on
23 their face the date of the delayed registration. No
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1 "delayed" mark shall be shown on the face of any marriage
2 filed and registered from those county books and records
3 not already contained in the system of vital records.
4
5 35-1-422. Marriage registration.
6
7 (c) Any returned or recorded marriage license
8 contained in any book or record not already included or
9 contained in the system of vital records shall be forwarded
10 upon request to the state office of vital records for
11 indexing, registration and preservation.
12
13 Section 2. The department of health shall promulgate
14 all rules necessary to implement this act.
15
16 Section 3. This act is effective immediately upon
17 completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law
18 as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming
19 Constitution.
20
21 (END)
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Statutes affected:
Introduced: 35-1-401, 35-1-404, 35-1-414, 35-1-422