**OFFICE OF**  **THE ATI**  **’ ORNEY**  **GENERAL OF**  **TEXAS AUSTIN** 



### Honorable

W. **A.** 

### Davie State 

### llegirtlrrv

of Vltbl Statfrtlar Iorar Mate ,Bobrd

of Eealth **Awtln.** 

### Zexar
Dear lllat

**Your VPitten**  

### datedNbrah 21, 1941, and aon81dered. thlr department, ha6 been received

**r) you**  **to ooaulder**  flaate, aad adtim 

### aertifiaafe **bhould**

**ed by**  **the 2eur**  **Leglelature In** 



### 614 (Pp.

346 7 

### 1939,the 46tbLeglulatum, parsedHoum Bill lo*

, the oaptioa 

### of whiab**Aat** 

### reads aa 

### iollovrt
"An**Aat** 

### ameadlngSeations 14 8nd 1.8

of. 

### !533

Honorable

**V. A.**  

### LIevIa,

Page 2

QupteP 41 of the **A&8** 

### of 

### the FortiethLegIglatur6,

First Oalled&88ion, 00 a8 to providefor the flllagof the birth record of 

### an adoptedohlld fn the 

### loaalreglstrar'r offlae;

and providing

for a ahsagela the bLrth reoordof 

### a **oatId** 

### vhea that ahlld la legltIm8tIred

by the marrlage**of** 

### It8 mothms and 80 a8 to **provide** 

### for the **reglstratfan** 

### of a 

### birth or death that 

### ha8 not prevIou8ly been reglrtered~

aad **decrlarlng** 

### an emergeaoy." The above**Aet** 

### in addition **to** 

### nmndIng Seation 14 ii80 **amended**

### 8ectlon18 of Chapter41 of the **Aatr** 

### of **the 40th**  **Lieglr** 

### lature,Piret 

### Caled 8688ion (8hovnIn Veraon 01~11Matutor a8 

### Art10104477,Rule 51r). fpllovrr **&ctloa** 

### 18 nov prOYid68 

### In part 

### a8

**“ And**  **provided** 

### further, that 

### "T 01tir;m of the Stateof 2exar. wlohlagtb ii 0 the recordof m birth or death,not prevlou8ly reglstwad,amy sutmltto the Prohte Court la the aotuaty

vhere the birth or deathoaaurred,

a 

### reoordof that birth **or** 

### deathvritten on the adoptedform **of** 

### birthand death oertlfiaater.

2he certlflcate 

### shall**be** 

### rubrtaatlated

by the affidavit

of the medlcbl **e&ten&&** 

### prerentat the time 

### of 

### the birth, or 

### in case of death,the affldaolt OS the phy~lolan

last la attendmoe upoa the de**oeaasd,** 

### or the **uadertaker** 

### vho buriedthe body. When the affidavit of the medloal attemdant

or und6rtelce~

oaauotb6 8eau.r6d, the Sertlfleate

8hal.l

**be** 

### supported

by the affidavit

of mme personu2ra vaa **acquainted** 

### with the 

### feat8 aurroundlng th6 birth OF death,at **the** 

### tins **the birth**  **oc** 

### death **w aurred,**  

### with a **ssoond affldavlt**  

### of 8cm8 

### pemun who 20 a6qualated 

### pith the fact8 aQrmw&q the birth or death and vho Is not 

### related

to the ladlvldual 

### by blood 

### or marrlsge. 2heProbnte Mart ahallmquire nrohothar infomtion **or** 

### evldenae a8 may **be** 

### deemed

neoe8- rary to ertabllah

the oltimnrhip of.the ladlvidu8l

fIlIngthe oortlflaata, aml the truthfulness of the crtatementr made la that reaord. 

### The Clerk of the aaidCourt shall forunrd

the aertlfloato

to the StateBureau of Vital 

### UtatI8tlo8 vlth an order **from** 

### the Courtto th6 State l?egIstrar that 

### the

### ‘.,

.. 

### 534 :,

Honomble V. **A.** ,&via, 

### Page 

### 3

record be, or b. not, aoaepted. 2he **lItate** Regirtr8r IS l

utho~lred to **8ocept the**  **certi** flaate vhen verified In the above me‘c, and rhall issue certified aople8 of SUCh records a8 provided for In beotloa 21 of thl8 **hot.** Suoh aertlfied cop108 shall 

### be prim faole evldenoe In all Courts and plaoes of .th8 **faots** 

### statedthereoa. The State Bureau Of **Vital Stati#tiOS**  **Sh811** fUI'Ili8h th6 fON upon vhIch 8uoh reeorde are filed, 8nd no other 

### form &all be \?8edfor,thrt purpose.*
**ft** vi11 **be** noticed ihat the p&ate aourt is given aonslderable latitude, b7 the above quoted Statute, to deternine the truthf%&err 

### or to a8aertal.niPtonmtlon~neaea8ar7 to and the birth or death of an7 persoa Thl8 pYXXIoa~ rtatute apapp1Ioabl.e

to the establlshment of the blpth or death of **a** altl8en that has not been reg- %ste*ed prevlou817. The statute, it 8eems to u8, clear17 provider that the State Registrar shall aaoept for regl8tratlon th8 certificate and reoord from the probate murt, In such canes, provided the oertlflcate 18 verified in the 8mnneP POwired **by** the **above** 

### ektute **and 1s**  **upon forma**  **approved by**  the State Bureau of vita% St&iStiOS.

We believe the 8plrlt of the lav and the Legislative 

# intention

18 menlfeqt In the phrase used la the ml'gellC7 e1ause Of the **Act** 

### referred to above, vhIah rays in pm-t "that the prerent lar do08 not~deflaItel7 

### define lasthod b7 vhioh birth and 

### death,not prevlou8l7 the purpone of the nev **Act** 

### ed m7 be reglstemd.' Ob~lou817

to Provide a mean8 Section 18, a8 ueaded) vao Intended of regl8tratIon whloh hsd not t&qretofore exl8ted. We sea find nothIng In the hat~whioh yould Indidefeat a registration made ln aomWe ~llcrve-t~~uertifiosts I8 duly verified ln the *anndr

required

by the l 

### tatutes

hereIn oltsd, AltbaUgh 7oUr MPUert and exhlblta do not 887 **that** the oertlflorte and reoord are **Prerented** on forms rpproved by the State Btuwau of Vital Btati8tlom, ve aamume that the fOF4LSrubmltted (Lr'b prOPer **nnd** h@mS been duly approvqd'and this opinion $8 vrltten upon such a88umptlon.. Davi8, Page 4

?OB ti 

### Of the 

### Maeons diSCUS~#d **VO** am Of th0 Opinion 

### end 70~ are SO edvisedthat the StateReglatrar of **Vitrf Statis**  ties is 

### authorixed

and shouldacceptand file the oertifloate and reoord 

### la the oase referred to la your 

### lnqulrg.
Ye trunt thatve have f’ull7 SnxwerQd

your inquiry. Very truly7oure
m AFR 16, 1941 

### A2’fOlWEX OBRERAL OPTEUS

ATTORNEY GENERAL y- 

### 535