Section 62 Security of Identity Documents and Confidential Information 14

Said chapter 111 is hereby amended by striking out section 24B, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 24B. Upon the birth of any child, or the marriage or death of any individual within the commonwealth, the physician, certified nurse midwife, administrator or other person in charge of a hospital, municipal clerk or any other person responsible for reporting a birth, death or marriage pursuant to chapter 46 shall forward to the commissioner any information, including the residence address and social security number of each parent or party, as required by the commissioner for administrative, research and statistical purposes, including the purposes of the IV-D agency as set forth in chapter 119A. Access to such information by the IV-D agency shall include electronic access. Such data that is included in the certificate of birth shall be transmitted within ten days of the birth of the child and shall not constitute a public record and shall not be available except for the foregoing purposes. Disclosure of information for research purposes which may identify any person named in any vital record or report may only be made in accordance with regulations promulgated pursuant to section 3 of chapter 111, which regulations shall require the submission of written requests for information by researchers and the execution of research agreements that protect the confidentiality of the information provided. Such agreements shall prohibit the release by the researcher of any information that might identify any person except for approved purposes. For the purposes of this chapter, research means a systematic investigation designed primarily to develop or contribute to general knowledge, including public health, medical, social, demographic and historical research. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the release of information or data that would not identify any person named in a vital record or report.

This section, along with thirteen others, updates the laws governing the registration of births, deaths, and marriages and the disclosure of corresponding records to align with national best practices for the protection of personally identifiable data and confidential health information.