The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control recently announced that their walk-in customer service office for vital records area will temporarily close beginning November 3. The closure is due to construction. The building is expected to re-open in March 2009. All other methods of ordering vital records will be available.
For more information about SC vital records, see the DHEC's web site at www.scdhec.gov.
Vermont vital records can be ordered online at https://secure.vermont.gov/BGS/vitalrecords/. The records are sold to the public for a $10 fee (credit cards accepted) and mailed within 5 -7 business days. Available records include birth, death, marriage, divorce, civil union, and civil union dissolution certificates.
By the end of the Summer, the Rhode Island State Department of Health, Division of Vitals Records, will increase the base fee for birth, death, and marriage records. The record fee will increase from $15.00 for a 2-year search and $.50 each additional year to $20.00 for a 2-year search and $2.00 for each additional year. Divorce records are not available from this agency and must be searched at the four county Family Courts.
Citing identity theft and fraud concerns, the Register of Deeds for Guilford County has removed marriage, birth and death records from the county’s Internet site. Land records are still available online. Records are available at the county offices in Greensboro and High Point. For more information call 336-641-7556. Visit Guilford County website.
Texas House Bill 2061, which repeals a 2003 law that banned public disclosure of Social Security Numbers, passed the House this week and moves on to the Senate. See our March 2 posting for more background information. View Bill Folder.
On Wednesday February 21, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott handed down an opinion that per the state Public Information Act (PIA) all Texas county clerks were immediately prohibited from displaying the Social Security Number of a living person on county clerk records made available to the general public. The records affected include real property, liens, birth,death, marriage, and court records held by the County Courts. Since there was no logistical way for the clerks to realistically perform a redaction, a severe shut down in county services performed by county clerks ensued. All commerce associated with any business entity using these records in the normal course of business was immediately affected. Although the PIA pinion did not affect court records held by the county-based District Courts, a number of District Court Clerks also closed down record access to their felony, probate, and civil case records.
The ensuing panic was sufficient enough that on February 28th, Attorney General Abbott abated the opinion for a period of 60 days. This abatement will enable the Texas legislation and the county clerks to plan a course of action on how to deal with the edict. While is it uncertain what the final outcome will be, the probability is that the public will eventually be able to access redacted electronic images, or to access electronic and bound indexes then instruct the clerk to retrieve an edited or redacted copy of the document or image without the SSNs.
Click Here to read the opinion and abatement.
AG Abbott has given lawmakers 60 days to correct a disclosure problem involving Social Security Numbers. During this time period the AG reported his opinion “will have no force or effect.” Abbott admitted his ruling had brought “a virtual halt to a tremendous amount of business and commerce in Texas.”
In the meantime Rep Keffer, the House Ways and Means Chairman and sponsor of SB 2061, will continue to work on legislation. It is reported that it may cost hundreds of millions of dollars and years to comply with the ruling.
In response to the recent opinion by TX Attorney General Abbott, State Rep Jim Keffer has sponsored House Bill 2061 that would repeal a 2003 law that banned public disclosure of Social Security Numbers. View Bill Folder
To take place today . . . business leaders and government officials will be providing testimony to the House Energy Resources Committee concerning the fallout caused by Attorney General Abbott’s opinion.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has determined that it is mandatory for county clerks and other government officials to remove Social Security Numbers from public record documents such as real estate titles/liens, birth/death certificates and marriage licenses. SSN’s are not required to be redacted from certified original documents but are required to be removed prior to distribution to the public.
Failure to comply could result in six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. County officials expressed concerns that the ruling could cost millions, increase labor and delay real estate closings. There is also concern that officials will need to review records back to the 1930’s.
Click Here to view opinion.
Snohomish County, WA reported it will remove 61 types of records from it’s website including marriage certificates, tax liens, divorces and death certificates. Concern was expressed because some records contain SSN’s and mother’s maiden names. Internet access to the county's searchable index of records still will be available but records will not be able to be downloaded. Records will still be available but require a visit to the courthouse. Visit the site at www.snoco.org.
