GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH S.B. 795: FLOOR ANALYSIS
Senate Bill 795 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Senator Tom George
Committee: Health Policy
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Public Health Code to do the following:
-- Allow the State Registrar to transmit to the Library of Michigan, on microfilm or microfiche or by other electronic means, copies of death, marriage, and divorce records that were at least 75 years old, and birth records at least 110 years old, for genealogical research by the public.
-- Allow the State Registrar to establish and implement a web-based mechanism to provide the public with internet access to those records; and transmit copies of the documents to Federal, State, local, and other public or private entities.
-- Require those records (except birth records) to be unsealed, if they were sealed.
-- Require the State Registrar to establish transmission procedures.
The bill would not allow the State Registrar to transmit marriage certificates that were issued under Public Act 180 of 1897 (which allows judges to issue marriage licenses, without publicity, under certain circumstances), or birth records that were sealed or whose disclosure was otherwise prohibited by law.
Proposed MCL 333.2885 Legislative Analyst: Julie Koval
FISCAL IMPACT
If the State of Michigan provided vital record information through the Library of Michigan or a website, it would create a mild, indeterminate cost increase for the State. The majority of this increase would likely be associated with the administrative cost of transferring vital records information to microfilm, microfiche, or a website.
Additionally, this process could lead to a reduction in fee revenue collected by the State. The State of Michigan imposes a fee of between $12 and $39 to provide copies of vital records to requesting parties. Revenue generated by these fees (about $4.7 million annually) is the primary funding source supporting the operation of the Vital Records Office. The loss of fee revenue would likely be minimal; the Vital Records Office has noted that the vast majority of record requests it receives are not for genealogical research and that reviews of older records are generally the most time-consuming and expensive to complete.
Date Completed: 11-14-05 Fiscal Analyst: David Fosdick
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb795/0506