§ 40:36 — State registrar as custodian

Louisiana § 40:36

• Jurisdiction: Louisiana
• Title 40: Public Health and Safety

Text

§36. State registrar as custodian
A. The state registrar of vital records is the custodian of all vital certificates and
records in this state which heretofore may exist in any parish or municipality, or which may
hereafter be received by him. He shall gather, compile, index, bind, and make provisions for
the storage and preservation of these records.
B. The state registrar shall take every precaution to preserve all documents in their
original form.
C. To preserve vital records, the state registrar is authorized to prepare accurate
typewritten, photographic, electronic, or other reproductions of certificates or reports in the
vital records registry. Such reproductions when certified by the state registrar shall be
accepted as the original records.
D. The public health statistics unit as provided for in R.S. 40:32(5) shall provide
reports containing analysis and tabulation of data derived from certificates and reports
required under this Chapter, as determined necessary for health planning and program
activities.
E. The state registrar may delegate such functions and duties vested in him or her to
employees of the vital records registry.
F. The public health statistics unit shall submit to the secretary of the Louisiana
Department of Health, to the legislature, and to the governor an annual report which shall
take the form of a compilation and recapitulation of the information received pursuant to this
Section and shall include such information as required in accordance with the provisions of
R.S. 40:65.
G. The state registrar of vital records may annually transfer and the secretary of state,
division of archives, records management and history, is authorized to receive all birth
records over one hundred years old and all records of death, stillbirth, marriage, dissolution
of marriage, and annulment over fifty years old which records shall be available for use by
genealogists and the general public. Such records shall not be subject to the amendment or
alteration provisions of this Chapter.
H. The state registrar of vital records shall provide a monthly report to each assessor
concerning the deaths which occurred in the state during the preceding calendar month, as
provided for in R.S. 47:1965.

Legislative History

Acts 1979, No. 776, §1. Amended by Acts 1986, No. 876, §1; Acts 1990, No. 212, §1; Acts 2017, No. 137, §1.