(a) A person born in this state whose birth is registered in this state, or the person’s conservator, or if a minor, the person’s parent or guardian, may submit a written request to the state registrar for a new birth certificate on the ground that his or her existing birth certificate contains a derogatory, demeaning, or colloquial racial descriptor. For purposes of this section, a derogatory, demeaning, or colloquial racial descriptor means any term that the registrant determines is insulting to a racial group.
(b) The State Registrar shall review the request, and if the request identifies the term that the registrant has determined is a derogatory, demeaning, or colloquial racial descriptor, identifies the accurate racial descriptor, and is accompanied with the payment of the fee required by Section 103700, then the State Registrar shall issue a new birth certificate with the accurate racial descriptor identified in the request and shall transmit copies of the new birth certificate to the following:
(1) The local registrar and county recorder in whose offices copies of the previously issued birth certificate are on file. Upon receipt of the new birth certificate, the local registrar and county recorder shall transmit any copies of the previously issued birth certificate to the State Registrar if it is practical for him or her to do so. If it is impractical for him or her to forward all the copies to the state registrar, he or she shall effectually seal a cover over the copy in a manner as not to deface or destroy the copy and forward a verified statement of his or her action to the state registrar.
(2) The registrant.
(c) The new birth certificate shall supplant any previously issued birth certificate registered for the registrant and shall be the only birth certificate of the registrant open to public inspection. The request and previously issued birth certificate shall remain as part of the records of the State Registrar. All records and information referred to in this section, other than the newly issued birth certificate, shall be available only upon the written request of the registrant or an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
(Added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 415, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 1996.)