1. Hawaii State Department of Health
Civil Registration, Vital Statistics and Identity Management in the U.S.
Alvin T. Onaka, PhD
Hawaii State Department of Health
U.S.A.
Technical Seminar on Legal Framework for Civil Registration
Vital Statistics and Identity Management Systems
Manila, Philippines
July 17 – 19, 2017

2. Civil Registration is a State Function in the United States
57 Vital Registration Jurisdictions
50 States
5 Territories
District of Columbia
New York City

3. CRVS Authority and Function
State Departments of Health
National Vital Statistics are a compilation of information from the 57 jurisdictions
U.S. Standard Certificates

4. Real ID Act
Driver’s Licenses
State Identification Documents

5. Vital Statistics Law First Model Public Health Law 1907
Serves as Resource Guidelines for States to improve uniformity and standard definitions

6. 2011 Model Vital Statistics Law Revision
Chair of National Model Law Revision Work Group
Law gives the authority to do something
Regulations are more specific on how accomplished
Operating procedures provide more details

7. Challenges Reduce the burden on the family in civil registration
Focus on the Movement of Information not people
Sex/Gender Reassignment
Same Sex Marriage
Assisted Reproductive Technology
Surrogacy
Balance of Access to Information and Privacy/Confidentiality
Cybersecurity

8. Opportunities Electronic Registration Systems
Improve Timeliness of Information
Improve Quality of Information
Public Health Surveillance
Government Efficiencies
Enumeration at Birth
Verification of Vital Event

9. Lessons Learned Change is the only constant in Society
Advances in Medical and Information Technology present unique challenges
Use changes in law in other areas of government to help you move forward
Keep the law simple and flexible providing authority and use the regulations and operating procedures to implement the details
Legal advice is invaluable in developing ways that enable rather than prevent you from doing what you need to do