CHAPTER 313

AN ACT to amend § 82-3387 of the Code of 1950 and to reenact
same in the form of four sections, with amendments, num-
bered 32-837, 32-887.1, 32-887.2 and 32-8337.3, to provide
for the issuance of a short form of birth certificate and
imposing limitations on the issuance of full birth com aes

53

Approved April 4, 1950

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 32-337 of the Code of 1950 be amended and re-
enacted in the form of four sections, with amendments, num-
bered 32-337, 32-337.1, 32-337.2 and 32-337.3, as follows:

§ 32-337. Copies of records * . — The State Registrar
may in his discretion, * upon request of the person whose birth
is recorded, if he be sui juris, and if not upon the request of his
legal representative, or in any case upon the request of a person
legally entitled to the information, or upon the order of a court of
competent jurisdiction, furnish * a certified copy of the record of
any birth * registered under the provisions of this law, * for
which a fee of fifty cents may be charged.

The State Registrar shall issue a certified copy of the
record of any death which 1s registered upon the request of any
legal representative of the deceased or of a person having a
direct interest in the matter recorded or upon order of a court of
competent jurisdiction, for which a fee of fifty cents may be
charged.

The State Registrar shall be entited to a fee of fifty cents
for each hour or fractional part of an hour of time of search,
to be paid by the applicant, and he shall keep a true and cor-
rect account of all fees by him received under these provisions
and turn them over to the State Treasurer.

Any such copy of the record of a birth or death, when
properly certified by the State Registrar to be a true copy, shall
be prima facie evidence in all courts and places of the facts
therein stated in accordance with authority of law.

§ 32-337.1. When parent or guardian entitled to be fur-
nished date of birth without fee—The State Registrar shall,
upon request of any parent or guardian, supply without fee, a
statement as to the date of birth of any child, when same is
necessary tor admission to school or for the purpose of secur-
ing employment * .

§ 32-337.2. When correctness of record subject to ques-
tion as to race.—Whenever the State Registrar is requested to
furnish a certified copy of a birth, death or marriage certificate
of a person and the records in his office or other public records
concerning such person or his parents or forebears are such as
to cause the Registrar to doubt the correctness of the racial
designation or designations contained in the certificate, a copy
of which is requested, it shall be the duty of the State Registrar
to enter upon the backs of the original certificate and certified
copy an abstract of such other certificates or records, showing
their contents so far as they are material in determining the
true race of the person or persons named in the original cer-
tificate and the certified copy, with specific reference to the
records, indicating where same are to be found open to public
inspection.

§ 32-837.38. Short form of birth certificate.—The State
Registrar shall, upon request, furnish any applicant having a
direct interest in the matter recorded a brief birth certificate,
which shall contain only the name, sex, color, date and place of
birth, date of filing, where recorded and the number. This short
certificate shall be signed by the State Health Commissioner,
whose signature may be by facsimile but must be actually signed
before issuance by the State Registrar, and when so signed shall
be received in evidence as prima facie evidence of the facts there-
in stated. A fee of fifty cents may be charged the applicant. This
certificate may be in a form such as to be carried in a billfold.

The issuance of full birth certificate shall be discretionary
with the State Registrar except when sought by the person
registered himself, af sui juris or by his legal representative,
af non sui juris, or under order of a court of competent jurisdic-
tion, but the brief certificate provided for in this section shall
be issued whenever applied for by a person having a direct
interest in the matter recorded.