Bill > H0153

This bill proposes to amend Vermont state law (18 V.S.A. § 5016) to expand the list of individuals who can obtain a certified copy of a birth or death certificate. Currently, the law allows certain close family members like spouses, children, parents, and grandparents to request these vital records. The proposed change would add aunts, uncles, nephews, and nieces to this list of eligible persons. Additionally, the bill makes a minor grammatical adjustment, replacing "his or her" with "the registrant's" when referring to the person whose certificate is being requested. The new provisions would take effect on July 1, 2025, which allows time for government agencies to update their procedures and systems to accommodate the expanded access. This modification aims to make it easier for extended family members to obtain important legal documents that may be needed for various purposes such as genealogy research, estate matters, or family documentation.